


Cider Leaf Island

by TechnoDragon28



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Hyper!Danganronpa H2O
Genre: F/F, F/M, Hyper!Danganronpa H2O - Freeform, M/M, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:28:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 28
Words: 59,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26706757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TechnoDragon28/pseuds/TechnoDragon28
Summary: Maya Canzanilla wakes up in the middle of a forest with no recollection of her past or how she got there. She finds others who have experienced the same fate as her, and they must work together to not only solve the mystery of their situation, but also survive the challenges that Mother Nature forces them to face. Is this the work of magic or science?





	1. Day 1 - September 15th

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to Cider Leaf Island! This is a story I thought of for Hyper! Danganronpa H2O: Abandon All Hope, created by Nick Milkpunches, written originally from mid to late 2019. To put it simply, my friend was playing the game on a livestream, and I didn't realize it was a Danganronpa fan game until after I had become dedicated to understanding the characters...
> 
> … not that I knew what Danganronpa was at the time. Whoops.
> 
> Anyway, after I thought of this concept, I started developing this story in hopes of bringing the community closer. Maybe someday that will eventually work.
> 
> I hope you enjoy the story and my artwork! Please feel free to get in touch with me if you have any questions, would like to report an error, see what else I do, or you just wanna chat!
> 
> Thank you all so much for your support!
> 
> Trigger Warnings:
> 
> I would like anyone reading to take note of these trigger warnings about the content featured in this story. If you are uncomfortable with any of these, please remain cautious for your own sake, as I don't want anyone to be upset because I failed to warn people beforehand. 
> 
> The story will or may contain the following forms of sensitive content, either mentioned or present:
> 
> \- Blood/Gore  
> \- Death/Animal Death  
> \- Body Horror/Mutation  
> \- Suicide/Self-harm  
> \- Intense Combat  
> \- Cancer/Chemotherapy  
> \- Insects  
> \- Emotional/Physical Abuse
> 
> Please contact me if I missed any. I will gladly add them to the list!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: The first "chapter" is only a paragraph long, as chapters are measured by significant events that occur in a day, much like a log. Chapters will become more lengthy after this installment.

Maya awakens to find herself alone in the middle of a forest with nothing but her clothes and a wicker basket. She has no memory of her past life... just her name. She goes to find water, and after doing so, finding a small cave to stay in. She begins to ponder how she got there and what her purpose is. She is… scared, to say the least. The sounds of owls hooting and crows crying in the woods make her uneasy. Crickets chirp as she curls up in the corner of the cave, her hoodie being her only warmth. She doesn't know what's out there…


	2. Day 2 - September 16th

Morning arrives with the sounds of singing birds. Maya knows that she must get food soon enough, and as reluctant as she is to rise, she grabs her basket, gets up and starts walking. One good look at her cave was all she left before she headed out, just to remember where she was in case she gets lost. She heads left from her new home and begins looking around in the bushes and trees for something to eat. She knew that she probably couldn't have the dexterity to catch an animal without a trap of any kind, so hopefully whatever berry or fruit she found was identifiable and wouldn't kill her. 

Just when Maya thinks about giving up, there is a glimmer of hope that comes in the form of a new ally. They are a girl dressed in pink with long blonde hair in flowing pigtails, and with a friendly smile on her tan face, she greets Maya. She seems very approachable, despite the fact that she's holding a cooking pot.

"Hello there!" she says. "Are you lost too?"

Maya pauses for a second. She assumed that she was going insane from hunger and was starting to see things. Perhaps this girl was an angel ready to take her to heaven. She looks like a convincing angel to Maya, so she rolls with it.

"Yeah, I can't remember shit either," Maya says. "I'm looking for food right now, seen any?"

"I've been searching too," the girl says. "I've found raspberries, carried some in my pot here. There should be blueberries around here too, they tend to grow in this type of environment."

"Oh, that's good to know," Maya says as she looks around. "Oh, by the way I'm Maya Canzanilla. That's really all I know about myself."

"I'm Marie Filliet," the girl replies. "It's nice to meet you, Maya!"

Maya just chuckles awkwardly, looking for a way to be as nice as Marie.

"Hey, do you think we should stick together?" Maya asks. "We could like... search for more food and stuff? Work as a team?"

"That sounds like a good idea," Marie agrees. "I just got here this morning, really, so I don't know much about what's around this area."

"Oh, I've been here since last night," explains Maya as they begin to walk. "It really freaked me out, how about you?"

Maya realizes that was a dumb question, but Marie doesn't seem to mind.

"I was very scared," Marie answered almost solemnly. "I still am, but I feel a lot better now that I'm with you!"

Maya wonders if she actually knows Marie, but just can't remember. 

"Welp, I'll be here all week," Maya jokes. This got a chuckle out of Marie.

The two of them spend the day gathering food, water, and firewood to bring back to Maya's cave. They did indeed manage to find a blueberry bush, same with blackberries and more raspberries. Of course, this wasn't much, but it was enough to keep them both alive. Marie uses the pot to boil water, cleaning out any pathogens from it. She then left it out to cool before they could drink it. Fortunately, she hasn't needed the pot as a weapon yet. 

After making sure they were safe for the night, they settle down to sleep. Maya secretly hopes that she won't get backstabbed... but something about Marie makes her feel a bit more safe.


	3. Day 3 - September 17th

Morning has come once again. Maya awakens, and after rubbing her eyes, she sook discovers that Marie is nowhere to be seen. Did she abandon her? Is she okay? A small burst of energy manages to pull Maya up from the ground and out of the cave. 

Ah, there she is!

Marie is kneeling in front of the pond, staring into the water. Maya is about to call out to her, when suddenly...

Sploosh!

Marie lifts her hands and forcefully swings them down into the water. Maya blinks away any presence of disbelief.

"Did you catch it?" Maya calls out.

"...No," Marie responds with a hint of disappointment in her voice.

"Well, if you do, I'll go get some firewood," Maya says. "I'll be back, uhh... good luck!"

And with that, Maya walks off into the woods. Marie sighs, but she doesn't give up. She stays on her knees, waiting for another fish to come by for the bait. She watches the small berry float in the water for what feels like forever. Her stomach growls, and she looks up at the sky to see the sun at its highest peak. Maybe she should take a break... yes, that is what she'll do. After all, maybe Maya found something to eat. She stands up and brushes the dirt off of her knees before turning to approach the cave. She hears a twig snap from the inside, so perhaps Maya had returned from her search...

Oh, who is that?

Inside the cave was not Maya, but someone new. The first thing Marie notices was his attire: denim overalls over a light blue sweater. Next, his hair, which is a dark, charcoal black, tied in a puffy little pony tail on the back of his head, and only letting two strands fall in front of his ears. It is odd to say the least. She hesitated, looking at this pale, lanky boy. Should she speak, or wait for him to-?

"AH!!!"

... turn around.

The stranger stares back at Marie in a defensive yet helpless stance, horrified. No human being has ever looked at her like this, as if she were actually frightening. She decides not to move, just curious as to what would happen next.

"I'm sorry!" the stranger cries out. "I-I was just looking around, I promise! I'm lost, I don't know how I got here, I-I-"

"It's okay, no worries!" Marie cuts him off... kindly, somehow. 

"You're not going to eat me, are you?" the stranger asks.

"Absolutely not," Marie says. "I must ask, who are you?"

The stranger pauses, thinking for a moment...

"Oliver," he says. "I'm Oliver Feng. I don't know where I got that..."

"I'm Marie Filliet," Marie says. "I don't know where I got that either."

Oliver huffs a bit, crossing his arms awkwardly.

"You can stay here if you want," Marie offers. "It's just me and another girl here."

Oliver looks surprised.

"You really mean that?" he asks nervously. "Well... okay, I guess. I'd probably be killed if I didn't stay anyway. Maybe I could... help out? I could start a garden, I have these vegetable seeds in my pocket for some reason..."

"That would be wonderful!" Marie says. "Feel free to plant it wherever you like. Are you hungry?"

"No..." Oliver bluffs. "Thanks... er, I'll go get set up."

With that, Oliver scurries off outside. He starts looking around for a good spot to dig.

Carrying a basketful of sticks and leaves, Maya returns to the cave to find Oliver digging around nearby. Suspicious of him, she heads inside to see Marie boiling a fish.

"Caught one, I see?"

"Yep!"

"That's cool," says Maya. "Hey, did you see that kid digging around the pond?"

"Oh yes, his name is Oliver," Marie answers. "He's going to be staying here."

"Another stomach to feed, huh?" Maya says as she places the wood on the floor. 

"Yes, but he's a farmer," Marie says. "He promises to help us out."

"Ah, that's alright."

"Really, I let him in because I caved."

"You really did."

"Maya."

"What?"

"I caved, Maya!"

"Oh my god."


	4. Day 4 - September 18th

Progress is being made, even though it is quite slow. While picking berries, Maya worries about the shortage of food between her, Marie and Oliver. She may have to take up hunting, even though she barely knew a thing about it. She dreads it, but decides to go talk to Marie about it. As she heads back to the cave, she sees Marie staring off into the distance.

"Maya!" Marie says as she hears Maya walk up to her from behind. "I see smoke! Do you see it?"

Marie points in the direction following her gaze. Maya can see that she is pointing at a pillar of smoke rising into the air above the trees.

"I think there might be someone else here," Marie says. "Should we go look?"

"I'll go look," Maya says. "Oliver, you're coming with me!"

Oliver looks up from his digging session.

"What? Where are we going??" he asks fearfully.

Maya grabs Oliver's hand and pulls him up to his feet. 

"To that," she says as she points to the smoke. "Come on, now."

"Hmph, fine," Oliver huffs as he reluctantly brushes himself off. "Just because you feed me doesn't mean you get to boss me around though."

"Hushpuppy," Maya says calmly.

Oliver looks at Maya as if she had just insulted his ancient, holy ancestors, pure shock across his face. He closes his mouth and proceeds to silently follow her. She honestly didn't think that those two words would've made him submissive in any way.

The two survivors make their way through the woods, following the sight and scent of the smoke. Maya will occasionally glance back at Oliver to see him looking around almost aimlessly. She can't quite tell if he is afraid or if he is merely in awe of the beauty of the forest. Whatever his emotion is, he is very quiet. She doesn't suspect him to do much, maybe she can trust him after all. 

Soon enough, Maya and Oliver reach the source of the smoke, and crouch behind some bushes to see what's going on before interfering. They can see a very small campfire, which has a rabbit roasting above it, and beside that campfire, sits a boy and a girl. The boy is thin and pale with messy ginger hair. His white shirt has a few blood stains on it, pants are ripped at the knees and shoes covered in mud. Wrapped around his shoulders is a large, comfortable looking blue blanket. The girl, on the other hand, seems to be in much better shape. Her long, chestnut hair is neatly tied in a ponytail, and her clothes that seem to have once been a school uniform are almost neatly tucked around her thicker body. It was quite clear that she was the huntress, for with her, she had a knife. Regardless of their differences, the boy and the girl both stare hungrily at the rabbit, the girl is actually drooling from the corners of her mouth. 

Maya can sense that Oliver is jealous of their hunting abilities just by looking at his face, which looks a tad bit sad. She gently taps his shoulder, which startles him a little. She nods to indicate that she will do the talking, and he nods back in understanding. With that, they stand and walk towards the two strangers.

"Hello?" Maya calls to them. 

The strangers look at her curiously and stand. The girl looks far more hostile than the boy, but she does not attack.

"Oh, hey there," greets the boy. "Who are you?"

"I am Maya Canzanilla," Maya says. "This is Oliver Feng."

Oliver gives a shy wave. 

"Ah, cool," says the boy. "I'm August Clarke, and this is-"

"Tamako Fujiwara!" the girl suddenly says. "I can speak for myself."

"Uh, yeah," August awkwardly continues. "Are you guys lost or something?"

"I was about to ask you that," Maya says. "We have a shelter nearby, a cave to be exact."

"Oh! We have no shelter," August sighs. 

"Yes we do!" Tamako counters.

"Uh, a pile of sticks leaning up against a tree is jackshit in comparison to a cave," snaps August. 

"How about this," Maya begins to offer. "We'll let you stay with us in our shelter if you help us get more food. Does that sound good?"

"It sounds wonderful!" says Tamako. "I'll be your huntswoman. I caught this rabbit myself with my bare teeth!"

"Your what?!" Oliver exclaims.

"Best not to question it," says August. "But yeah, we'll gladly help out! I've been making clothes and stuff out of the pelts that Tamako gets, and Chet has been keeping track of everything that happens in his journal."

"Whoa, hold up," Oliver says to stop August. "Who the hell is Chet?"

"Oh, he's not here right now," August sighs. "He's out gathering... stuff, I guess. He should be back soon."

"Fair enough," Maya says. "Oliver, you take August back to the cave. Tamako and I will wait for Chet here."

Oliver nods to Maya as August approaches him.

"Follow me," he says. "It's not that far off."

The four of them have now separated, allowing them to speak to each other in pairs.

\---

Oliver walks alongside August, heading back the way that he and Maya came. He does not trust this newcomer, but he trusts him more than that Tamako girl. He wonders if Maya will come out alive... but he catches himself worrying about her and shakes it off. 

It seems as though August detects the awkward silence between the two, as he begins to speak.

"So, how did you end up here?" August asks.

"I don't know," Oliver says with a hint of hostility. "I don't think anybody knows."

Oliver hopes that August won't continue the conversation... but alas, he does.

"Yeah, I don't remember anything about my past," August says. "I do have my knowledge of stitching and knitting and stuff though, which is weird."

"Yeah." 

Perhaps blunt responses will shut him up?

"So, what do you do?"

God dammit.

"I am a farmer," Oliver answers. "I woke up in the middle of the woods with seed packets and a trowel, so I just assumed that it was my job."

"Ah, that's cool, what kind of-?"

"Oh look at that, we're here!" Oliver interrupts. "You go talk to Marie in the cave, explain yourself. Goodbye now!"

Oliver rushes off to his garden, falling over a little as he attempts to settle down to his work again.

August stares at Oliver for a brief moment. Had he said something wrong? No, that couldn't be it. Maybe Oliver is just shy. After all, he seemed so when they first met. August shrugs it off and heads towards the cave. The area seems very nice, a sturdy, natural home beside a big pond. He can even see the fish swimming around from where he is. And now, he stands in the cave entrance, where he can smell...

Fish. Not the best smell.

Speaking of the smell, he can hear someone bickering with themselves about it as he enters.

"What the hell was I thinking?" Marie mutters to herself. "Cooking fish indoors? I'm so silly... Maya, is that you?"

Marie turns to look at August, and to his surprise, she is very friendly.

"Oh hello!" Marie says. "You must be the person that made the fire, right?"

"I guess I am," says August. "Oliver brought me here."

"Sounds about right," Marie giggles. "He doesn't like to talk much. Do you know where Maya is?"

August ponders if he should be honest about Tamako's sanity... he decides against it.

"She's back at our old camp with my friend Tamako," August says. "They're waiting for my other friend Chet to come back. She sent me and Oliver here while we wait. Tamako's the hunter, Chet's the journalist, and I'm the tailor... though to be honest, we haven't been doing so well. Our shelters are lacking. We figured that we could help you guys out and... you could help us out too!"

"Anyone is welcome as long as they welcome others," Marie says. 

...

"Okay, that's the coolest thing I've ever said."

\---

Tamako is... strange, to say the least, but she's fun for Maya to talk to. She has a horizontal look in her eyes, and she's always smiling, as if she knows something that you don't. Despite this, Maya isn't afraid, for if August and this Chet person could survive with her for who knows how long, she would be okay waiting for a few minutes... if it was a few minutes.

Tamako is the first to break the silence as she removes the rabbit from the roast.

"What's it like living in a cave?" Tamako asks with a quivering voice. "It sounds like fun!"

"The floor is hard and cold, but it's very reliable and sturdy," Maya says. "The reverb is also really fun to listen to every time you speak."

"I'm sure it is!" Tamako says with a grin. "I wonder if I've ever been in a cave, but I just don't remember. I get the feeling that I've been in many though!"

"Well, maybe you'll remember when you come by," Maya says sweetly. 

Just before Tamako can speak, the sound of footsteps draws near, and the two girls are met with a boy carrying berry branches and a book. He is round and well dressed in a merlot colored shirt and black tie, maroon sneakers, tan shorts, and a red and white jacket wrapped around his waist. His skin is fair and smooth, with short brown hair and an innocent face. Maya can see the shine of starry earrings the closer he gets, which isn't quite much, as he saw her standing there and stopped, confused and concerned.

"Oy, Tamako, what did you do to August this time?" he sighs.

Maya can't help but laugh. It gives her an idea of what living with these two is like.

"He was taken by another boy," Tamako says. "You're coming with us too!"

The boy looks scared. Luckily, Maya saves the day by wording it in a more comforting way.

"I'm Maya Canzanilla," she says. "I'm a settler from nearby, and my friends and I have a safer establishment for you all to live in."

"Oh! Well that's a lot better," the boy laughs. "I'm Chet Perez, I'm the journalist around here."

"Maya lives in a cave," Tamako says. "We're going to live in a cave!"

\--

"WE'RE IN A CAAAAAAAAAAAAVE!!!"

The ecstatic yell from Tamako echoes and howls through the cave, making Marie laugh along with her joy.

"I'm glad you like it, Tamako," she says kindly. "Thank you for bringing us food with you as well. We promise to take good care of you!"

"Any time, Miss Marie!" Tamako says as she settles down in a corner of the cave. "This is my corner now."

Chet stares up at the ceiling of the cave, admiring the shining rocks. 

"I just may be able to help build a second shelter if this place gets too crowded," he offers. 

"You didn't seem too well off from what I saw," Maya says. "But I'm sure I could lend a hand if necessary."

"I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make this place the best it can be for us," says Chet with a smile.

"Oh! I know what you can do!" Marie chimes in. "I have some recipes in mind, maybe you could help me keep track of them?"

"That's about my speed," Chet chuckles. "I have a whole book full of blank pages!"

The settlement grows once again, but this time, Maya is not afraid. They now have a huntswoman, a tailor, and a journalist, and who knows who will come next. Whoever does come along, they will surely be one step closer to surviving and thriving in this unknown world.


	5. Day 5 - September 19th

"What the...? Where the fuck is my trowel???"

A sleepy, grumpy Oliver can be heard wandering around outside, looking for his gardening trowel. Maya has to hold in her laughter every time she sees him cursing and stomping around as he searches. 

"I had it right next to me!" Oliver huffs. "Did someone steal it or something? Why the hell would they want it, just to fuck with me?!"

"Relax, Oliver," August says calmly. "You can still dig with your hands."

"Yeah, but..."

Oliver fails to come up with a decent argument. It is absolutely possible, he just decided not to. It beats talking for a long time anyway. Since then, Oliver has gone much quieter, only growls to himself on occasion. Maya and Marie watch him from the cave entrance. Marie looks concerned, and Maya makes an offer.

"I'm going to make the baby stop crying."

"I beg your pardon?" Marie asks.

"I'm gonna go ask him to help me gather some stuff," Maya answers. "And let's be real, he's a big baby. He even dresses like one."

"I know, right?" Marie giggles. "I love it. He's an angry baby."

Maya has to hold in her laughter as she parts with Marie and approaches Oliver.

"Hey Ollie," she says. "Wanna come help me with berry picking?"

"First of all," Oliver begins as he stands up. "Don't call me that. Secondly... sure, I guess. You're the boss anyway."

"Whoa, you really think that?" Maya asks.

"You literally called me 'puppy' yesterday," Oliver hisses.

"Oh my god, Oliver, you big baby, have you never heard of a hushpuppy?"

Oliver looks confused.

"From what I hear, they're fried corn balls that people used to feed to their dogs to make them stop barking," Maya explains. "At least that's what I believe. There are many stories, but that's my favorite."

"I am no dog," Oliver says with an offended tone.

"Oh Oliver, just take a joke, will you?"

"If insulting me is your best joke, you need to get a new sense of humor."

Maya gives up.

"Let's just go," Maya sighs. "Maybe it'll make you feel better.

Oliver says nothing, but follows her anyway. 

Maya and Oliver follow the usual path, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. Maya wonders how much longer they'll be available... what season is it anyway? Is it summer, spring or the dawn of autumn? Maybe it's winter, just in a very warm climate? Well, whenever it is, all that matters is that they can survive. Hopefully they will find something new to add to the menu...

Could that be it?

Maya spots a strange looking bush of berries. It looked like a round Christmas tree with red berries on its branches. The berries caved in from the center, exposing a single seed. Maya stares at it, but before she can reach for it...

"STOP!!! Don't eat that!"

Startled by the interjection, Maya jumps back a bit and looks around to see Oliver rushing towards her. He nearly skids to a stop beside her and points at the plant.

"That's an English yew!" he says. "Poisonous, can be fatal."

"Oh... Thank you," Maya says. "I'll be sure to tell Chet about that."

"Uh huh," Oliver hums with a nod.

"Hey, how did you know that?" Maya asks. 

Oliver only responds with a shrug. 

"So someone must've told you specifically about the English yew," Maya thinks aloud. "I mean, I've never even heard of it."

"Just because you didn't know it doesn't mean it's not common knowledge," Oliver says.

"Well I don't hear many others spitting about it!" Maya snaps. "I mean, I guess we could ask, but-"

"Hey wait..."

"What?"

"How did you know about hushpuppies?"

Maya goes quiet. 

"I mean, you said you heard more than one story, right?" Oliver recalls. "Where did you hear those stories?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," Maya says. "Let's not worry about it though, it'll probably get us nowhere."

Oliver sighs and carries on looking for food, a sulking look of disappointment on his face. Maya feels a touch of sympathy, but turns it away in favor of searching. 

\---

Tamako wipes the sweat off of her forehead and looks up at the canopy of leaves above her. The sun is leaving its highest point in the sky, meaning that now would be a good time to get some fresh meat for dinner. She glances back at the pitfall trap that she had been working on all day, silently promising herself to continue digging the next day. With a confident smile, she picks up Oliver's trowel and stands, heading back towards the settlement. As she passes the border, she spots August sitting beneath a tree and sewing pelts together. 

"Hey, August!" she says happily.

August looks up from his work to greet her.

"Hello, Tamako," he says. "So it was you that took Oliver's trowel?"

"Yep!" Tamako confirms with no regrets. "I'm making a pitfall trap, and I needed something to help me dig faster."

"Alright," August chuckles. "Better return that trowel before Oliver comes back though; he was super pissed when he couldn't find it."

"I will!" says Tamako as she skips away to the cave.

The cave is lively today, with Chet and Marie talking up a storm about recipes and other things that Tamako doesn't bother hearing about. 

"Hello!" Tamako says as she enters.

Marie and Chet stop talking and look over at Tamako.

"Aha!" Chet exclaims. "I bloody knew it, Tamako took Oliver's trowel!"

"Not so loud, Chet," Marie giggles. "Oliver might hear you, then who knows what will happen."

"He seems kinda scary," Chet comments.

Marie laughs like a crazy old aunty.

"I love it," she says.

"I love your laugh, Marie!" Tamako says with a smile.

"Thank you, Tamako," Marie says as she continues her work. "Good luck hunting out there!"

"Oh, by the way," Chet begins. "I saw some turkeys across the lake earlier, I just didn't know where you were at the time."

"Okay, thank you!" Tamako says as she grabs her knife. "Goodbye!"

Tamako runs out into the sunlight, joyfully skipping across the grass towards the other side of the lake. As she reaches the border of trees, she lets her skip gradually fade into a normal walking pace, and deeper into the woods she roams. She sniffs the air as her eyes dart back and forth, looking for any sign of movement. 

And there it is.

Quickly, she hunkers down, her gaze locking onto a flock of turkeys between the trees. She begins to crawl, her blade clenched between her teeth as she paws her way over the leafy ground. Her breaths grow short and soft, yet menacing all the same. She draws closer to the unsuspecting birds, and just when the twig beneath her foot snaps...

The birds above disperse as the warcry rings out with the killing blow.


	6. Day 6 - September 20th

That's right, she's been digging in the dirt! Tamako finishes excavating the pitfall trap and begins to set sticks and leaves over it, adding the finishing touches with clumps of dirt.

"You really think that'll work?" August asks as he walks over to her.

"Well, I did forget the spikes," Tamako admits. "But if something does fall in, I should be able to kill it myself!"

"You'll probably catch Chet," August chuckles. "That or Oliver."

"Maybe I'll catch you!" Tamako says.

"Who knows," August says with a shrug. "At least return that trowel to Oliver ASAP. He's been losing his mind again."

"Will do!" Tamako says as she skips away to the cave once again.

August sighs and turns to follow her. He has been thinking about his new friends for a while now, trying to get used to the idea that they just might be his last companions. Unless he finds out where he came from, he just may have to stay here for the rest of his life. He asks himself, will someone stay with him on the island? Will someone actually be willing to give up their old life to be with him? He shivers at the thought, surely it wasn't possible... he just may have to go home.

"It was you?! You took it???"

An angered voice interrupts August's thoughts. He looks up to see Tamako giving Oliver his trowel back. 

"W-Why did you do that?" Oliver asks with a stammering voice.

"I was digging a pitfall trap!" Tamako answers happily. "Hopefully something will fall in, and we'll be able to eat it!"

"Yeah yeah, great," Oliver sighs. "Just ask next time before you take it, jeez."

"Okay!" Tamako says before running back into the woods. 

August watches Oliver turn on his heel and head for the pond, kneeling down in front of it. Curiously, he follows and peers over Oliver's shoulder to see him scooping up handfuls of water and tossing it down onto the trowel. At first, he had no idea what he was doing, but then...

"Are you cleaning it?" August asks as he sits down beside Oliver.

"None of your business," Oliver says.

"Aren't you lonely though?" August asks yet another question. "We don't have many people to talk to, and well... we might be spending the rest of our lives here."

"Lives that could end tomorrow if you keep that up," Oliver hisses as he dries the trowel on August's shirt.

August isn't sure how to respond to that. Why was Oliver so cold? Did he have a bad experience coming here, or perhaps, he remembers his past? Is he just heavily introverted, and doesn't know how to politely express it? It is beginning to bother him a lot. He wants Oliver to be happy, but he doesn't know why, and he doesn't even know how. Maybe if he leaves him alone for a few days...

"I'm sorry," August says. "I'll leave you alone."

Oliver is silent as August stands up and walks away. In fact, he could've sworn that Oliver froze in his place. What if he looks back? Out of pure curiosity, he turns to look back at Oliver and see what he was doing. 

August's heart leaps a bit as he realizes that he just made eye contact with Oliver. Quickly, Oliver looks away, as many people do. August didn't really get much of a chance to take in everything about Oliver's facial expression, but whatever it was, it seemed... gentle.

"He was looking back at me!?" August thinks silently. "Hm... maybe this plan will work."

Suddenly, his thought process is interrupted by the presence of a familiar voice.

"Hey August, look!" Tamako says cheerfully as she approaches him.

In her arms, Tamako carries... a shit load of turkey feathers.

"I figured you could make something with these," she says. "Maybe pillows? Dreamcatchers? Those are always fun!"

"Oh, thanks Tamako," August says as he takes the feathers into his arms. "Say uhh... Yeah! I'll definitely make something out of these... Probably pillows."

Tamako smiles and rushes off once again. Ah, now how to carry all of these feathers? 

\---

"You know," Chet begins. "The whole idea that Tamako killed this thing, by herself, with no ranged weapon whatsoever, kinda scares me."

The giant, dead turkey lies on the rock table in front of Chet and Marie, its glazed eyes blankly staring up at the ceiling. 

"Let's just be glad that she's on our side," Marie says. "Right now the only thing I'm worried about is seasoning this thing."

"We may have to just suffer and eat it plain," Chet sighs. "I'd rather be safe than sorry in this case. I'm not good at identifying the right plants..."

"I must admit, nor am I," says Marie. "But do not fret, at least we eat."

"That's a good way to look at it," Chet agrees.

"The bad news is we're onto the hard part," Marie says. "Cutting its head off..."

"Oh shit, right," Chet gulps. "Umm... I'm gonna look away."

"I'm surprised you're not vegan," Marie comments.

"Bah, I'm not vegan," Chet says. "I'm just queasy. Meat is too good for me to let go of, and besides, my body needs it, you know?"

"Good point," Marie says. "Now... looking away is a good idea now."

"Huh? Oh right! Er, yeah, the turkey... Actually maybe I can watch cuz I have this weird feeling that in my past life I hated turkeys? I dunno I- oH SWEET BABY JESUS THE BLOOD IS EVERYWHERE!!! BLOODY HELL!!!"


	7. Day 7 - September 21st

To be awoken by an alarm is to feel your body magically act on its own while you're still practically half asleep. Whether that alarm be a clock, a smoke detector, or your cat vomiting, there is a sudden surge of energy that bursts your body to life as you rush to stop whatever is causing the sirens to blare in a mad dash of panic and somehow also sleepiness.

Imagine that feeling, and you'll know exactly how Tamako feels when she hears branches snapping followed by a dull thud and enraged cursing.

"AGH! FUCKING FUCK!!! GOD DAMMIT BITCH SHIT FUCK!!!"

"Oh my god," August says in monotonous shock. "I can't believe it."

"Something fell in my trap!" Tamako shouts as she races out of the cave. "I wonder what it was!"

"I, for one, have never heard a deer cuss like that," Maya yawns.

Maya and August follow Tamako into the woods to find her pitfall trap. Sure enough, the sticks and leaves have fallen in, snapped into twigs. The settlers peered in to see what had fallen in. At the bottom of the pit, laying on the floor with a grumpy expression, was a boy. 

Just a boy.

Although there is little light to actually see much detail, Tamako can make out his short and messy beige hair and his mossy brown eyes. He has sandy skin and glittering stars for gangly jewelry, a shirt of neapolitan colors and long brown pants over leather shoes. Despite his appearance, he isn't so graceful in this moment, laying sore at the bottom of a bit covered in twigs, leaves and dirt.

"Are you okay?" Maya asks.

The only response is a growling groan.

"Oh the poor bastard," August sighs. "Let's get you out of there."

The boy lazily raises his arms as Maya and August reach for him, pulling him up and latching onto his torso. He kicks the wall of dirt in the pit and hoists himself up with their help. It is now clear to see that he is covered in scratches and bruises. Maya looks down at his legs, seeing he is putting most of his weight on his right leg. 

"August, help him along," she says.

August nods and wraps the boy's left arm around his shoulders, aiding him to walk towards the cave.

"I guess my trap was very well hidden," Tamako says. "Didn't think it was gonna catch a human. Sorry about that."

The boy must be in some kind of shock, for he says nothing. 

"I'll get Marie," Maya says as she runs ahead. "Marie, we caught a boy."

"A boy?" Marie repeats as she stands up from her resting spot. "What kind of boy?"

Maya pauses.

"A boy boy," she says. "Just a boy."

"Ah, I see," Marie giggles. It was clear that they both found it amusing.

"What happened?" Chet asks while sitting up. "Did someone really fall into Tamako's trap?" 

"Yes," August answers as he walks in with Tamako and the new boy. "He needs some medical attention too."

"Oh goodness," Marie gasps. "Poor thing, let me get you something warm."

Marie rushes outside with her cooking pot as August settles the boy down amongst a bed of leaves. Like a skittish, feral cat, Oliver sees the newcomer sitting next to him and jumps up, scurrying to the other side of the cave and hiding away amongst the pile of pelts.

"Oh, sorry Ollie," August laughs. "Didn't see you there."

Oliver just glares at August.

"I'm not sure if I should thank you or be pissed with you," the newcomer says.

"Accidents happen," Chet sighs. "Who are you anyway?"

"I'm Ash," the boy says. "Ashley Sivale, but don't call me that."

"Then why did you tell us?" August asks in amusement.

"No reason," Ash huffs.

"Well, I'm August, and this is Tamako, the huntress that... accidentally trapped you."

Tamako gives Ash a friendly wave. He just looks at her with disappointment.

"I'm Chet Perez," says Chet. "I keep track of stuff that happens around here, like you showing up."

"Make it a holiday," Ash snickers. "And what about that weird fella over there?"

"Oh! That's Oliver," August answers with a smile. "He's... a lil shy."

August leans in and whispers to Ash.

"I think he's warming up to me though!"

"Huh," Ash hums. "That's interesting to say the least."

"Say hello, Oliver," Maya says looking over at the pelts.

Oliver reluctantly waves to Ash. Ash waves back, equally as slight. Maya shakes her head, amused by their similarities. 

"Step back!" Marie warns as she reenters the cave. "Hot pot! Hot hot pot!"

Everyone shuffles around to make a path for Marie, who is carrying a hot pot of water. She cautiously places it on the floor beside Ash, kneeling down and dragging a stone bowl to her newly established workspace. 

"What the hell are you doing?" Ash questions.

"I'm going to tend to your wounds," Marie answers as she carefully pours some water into the bowl. 

"Okay cool," Ash says. "But uh... can you guys all not stare at me?"

"Oh, sorry," August says. "I'll move over."

"Don't bother Oliver, you," Maya scolds. 

August pauses, trying to think of a good comeback, but he remains silent.

"Let August bother Oliver," Marie says while dipping a rag into the water. "He's bothered by everything anyway."

"Am not!" Oliver objects as August settles down beside him. "I'm just... introverted."

"Seems you guys are a close family," Ash sarcastically comments. "Are any of you actually-? AAH!! Fuck!!" 

"I'm sorry," Marie says as she briefly removes the wet cloth from Ash's skin. "I should've warned you."

"Yeah, you should've," growls Ash.

"I'm gonna put it back on, okay?"

Ash groans as Marie replaces the rag onto his scars.

"I forget, how does that help again?" Maya asks. 

"If I recall correctly," Chet begins. "Heat excites the blood cells and attracts them to the cut, where they begin to repair it."

"Pretty much," Marie says. "You sure are a smart one."

"Thanks," Chet says with a smile. "Are you feeling any better, Ash?"

"No," Ash says. "I feel like shit."

Tamako rolls her eyes, which was unexpected to say the least.

"Hey Tamako," Maya says. "You wanna go get some breakfast with me?"

"Sure, I guess," Tamako mutters. 

"Alright, I'll get our stuff," Maya says uneasily.

The two girls leave without another word. Marie bandages Ash's deepest scars and leaves him alone to let him nap for the day...

… and August bothers Oliver.


	8. Day 8 - September 22nd

The weather is calm and quiet tonight, only a soft breeze every now and then. Maya takes in a deep breath of fresh air as the stars begin to appear in the sky, stretching out and reaching for them. After relaxing, she enters the cave to find Ash sharpening a thick wooden stick with a stone.

"I thought you wanted to leave today," Maya comments. "Why did you stay?"

"Past tense," Ash says. "I wanted to leave, yes, but I realized how far ahead you all were from me, and I probably couldn't survive out there all alone."

"Strange," Maya begins. "Usually it takes some time to convince someone to realize that, but you picked it up right away."

"What kind of dumbass do you think I am?" Ash chuckles. "I'm not stupid, it only takes a few books to read to know the trope."

"Good point," Maya says. "Hey, speaking of which, what books?"

"What books?" Ash repeats. 

"Exactly, what books are you talking about?"

Ash just looks at her, confused. After a few seconds of thought, he shrugs. Maya sighs, turning to face the outside world once again.

"We'll find those books someday," Maya says to herself.

Suddenly, she snaps out of her thought process, noticing something going on outside. It looks like Marie, Chet and Tamako are trying to start a fire. Maya approaches them curiously, watching them rub sticks together and blow on the sparks.

"What are you guys up to?" she asks.

"Remember how we found August, Chet and Tamako by following the smoke of their fire?" Marie recalls.

Maya nods silently in response.

"Well, we decided to do the same thing and guide others to our settlement just in case," Marie continues. "If the fire is big enough, it may have a greater chance of being sensed this late at night."

"I noted how the smoke would be a lot easier to see in the daytime," Chet monotonously remarked. "But she insisted that we do it tonight."

"There's no harm in it, Chet," Marie says. "And besides, Tamako brought venison."

"Venison!" cheers Tamako as she lifts a deer carcass from the ground.

"Lovely," says Maya. "Hey, any idea where Oliver and August are?"

"Good question..." Marie says with a dragging pause. "Should I be worried that I don't know where they are?"

"Don't worry," Chet says. "They'll find their way home with the fire."

The girls laugh at Chet's hint of sarcasm.

"Ah, well, I'm gonna go for a quick walk," Maya sighs peacefully. "It's very nice out tonight, and I wanna take advantage of it."

"It's dangerous to go alone," Tamako says. "Take this!"

Tamako hands Maya what seems to be a small knife. It has a wooden handle and a stone blade, carefully bound together with small yet thick vines.

"Where'd you get this?" Maya asks.

"Ash made it," Tamako says with a smile. "He said he's gonna be our craftsman!"

"I can't tell if that's more relieving or more concerning," Maya says. "Anyway, thank you, and good luck with that fire stuff."

"Toodles!" Marie says cheerfully.

With that, Maya begins to wander in the woods. Knowing her limits, she decides to make small carvings in the bark of the trees to mark her path in case she got lost. The wind whispers through the trees as the voices of the settlers fade away, leaving Maya with nothing but the sounds of the wilderness. Softly, an owl hoots nearby, the leaves shuffle along the ground, and the tree canopies rustle in a hissing chorus. Maya feels the heaviness in her chest vanish as she walks, letting the voices of nature overcome her thoughts. It almost sounds as if they are speaking to her, their voices growing stronger with every step she takes. She hears the voices say... something...

"Who are you?"

"...What?"

Maya snaps out of it, awakening from her trance. Looking around, she sees nothing but the forest, yet even after she had gone so far, the light of the fire could still be seen as a glowing dot in the distance. Looks like Marie was right after all...

"Who are you?"

Maya gasps and tightens her grip on her knife. She looks around frantically, looking for the source of the deep, soft voice.

"Hello?" she calls.

"Hello...." the voice responds, though this time much more... timidly. "I'm here."

Following the sound, Maya turns to look towards a strong tree branch and sees someone resting upon it. He sits there, hugging the trunk of the tree and staring back at her with deep, rosey eyes. Whatever his attire is, it is dark and slender, for it can barely be seen in this light, but it is obvious to see that he has a large coil of rope wrapped over his left shoulder. She could see his flowing blonde hair reflecting any light that may linger there, his fair skin making it easy to see that he looks just as frightened as she is in that moment. 

"Who are you?" the stranger repeats.

Maya pauses... Yes, she knows her name, but can she really answer that question? Oh, whatever, let's not worry about that for now.

"I... I am Maya Canzanilla," Maya answers. "And you?"

The stranger shivers.

"Ricardio Montague," he says quietly. "I'm... I'm-I'm-I'm-I'm-I'm..."

Maya watches as Ricardio looks away, staring into the distance at the light of the fire. She realizes that she is probably dealing with someone who thinks quite differently than many of the others she has met, and softens her voice.

"Were you looking for the light, Ricardio?" Maya asks gently.

Ricardio nods slowly.

"I'm... afraid," he says as he looks back at her. "Dear... you have a knife..."

"Oh!" Maya gasps. "I don't wanna hurt you, I promise."

Ricardio looks away once again, refusing to make eye contact. 

"Everything is okay," Maya says reassuringly. "The light is my friend... I mean, my friends caused the light to happen. Yeah, it's a campfire."

"Okay..." Ricardio hums shyly. 

"Do you need help getting down...?" Maya asks.

"No, thank you," Ricardio says.

Just then, he cautiously latches onto the branch and pushes himself forward, landing quite gracefully on the ground. He looks back at her, or rather, her knife. He can't seem to take his eyes off of it.

"Follow me," Maya says as she pockets the knife. "It's not too far off."

Ricardio nods once again, and together, they begin their walk. As she walks alongside him, Maya is able to pick up some details about Ricardio, the most obvious being the fact that he is a few inches taller than her. Next, she looks at his body language. He holds his hands together, rolling and clicking his wrists on occasion, almost constantly changing their position. He shuffles through his fingers, staring at them as he follows little symmetrical patterns that he makes with them. It almost looks like they're dancing...

Maya catches herself staring and decides to look away before Ricardio could notice. She doesn't want to make him any more uncomfortable. Soon, the scent of venison begins to fade in, and the two of them quicken their pace. It was clear to see that Ricardio was hungry, who knows how long he has been here on the island. As they draw closer to the settlement, Maya can hear Marie talking.

"If I were to answer that honestly, I think maybe. I can't be sure though, it's something that you can't really be sure about until you... well, until you know. You know when you know, you know? I believe that there's no such thing as 'the one,' there are many others out there who would love you, and we just happen to be on this island. If I had to pick someone here, I would- Oh Maya! Oh my, hello!"

Tamako and Chet turn to face Maya and Ricardio, who fidgets with a strand of his hair. The two of them immediately stand up, their eyes wide and bright and mouths agape.

"RICKY!!!" they shout in unison.

Ricardio looks relieved as Chet and Tamako run up to him and embrace him in a hug.

"Oh thank god you're okay, Ricky!" Chet says. "We thought you died!"

"Wait, you know him?" Maya asks.

"He was our gatherer," Tamako explains. "But... one evening, he left to explore the area for more resources, and he never came back."

"I got lost," Ricardio says as Chet and Tamako let him go. "I believe I may have actually passed where we used to live while searching... but you were already gone by then."

"We're so sorry that we gave up on you like that," Chet says wiping the tears from his eyes. "We'll never do that again!"

"Please do not worry," Ricardio says. "I am not worried."

"That's good," says Marie. "Are you hungry? You look starving..."

"I am starving," Ricardio confirms.

"Join us for supper, why don't you?" Marie offers.

Ricardio agrees with a smile as he places the ropes on his shoulder behind him, making sure they aren't too close to the flames. The five of them all settle down around the fire, awaiting the food that Marie is preparing.

"Thank you," Ricardio says. "Thank you very much, ma'am."

"You can call me Marie," says Marie.

"Say, where's August?" Ricardio asks.

"August? I don't know," Chet sighs.

"He's probably bothering Oliver again," Maya laughs. "Oh, when will he learn..."

"Learn what?" asks Marie as she prepares the venison.

"That Oliver isn't interested in him," Maya answers. 

"How do you know for sure?" Tamako asks.

"Well, I can't be completely sure, but he keeps trying to push him away. I don't think August has taken any hints. I kinda feel bad for both of them..."

"Why do you think that August likes Oliver anyway?" Chet asks. "He's not very... approachable."

"I think he just wants to talk," Maya says. "You know, try to make friends. I always try to make sure everyone is happy."

"You cannot please everyone," Ricardio chimes in.

"This is true," Marie agrees.

"Why do we discuss this so much?" asks Tamako.

"Because they're our friends," Maya says. "We should help our friends."

"Hmm, I see."

"I say only help them if they ask for it," Marie says as she passes a slab of meat to Ricardio. "Otherwise, we're basically just butting in on something that isn't our business."

"That's a good point," Chet agrees. "Let's worry about staying alive moreso, you know what I mean?"

\---

Something about being alone like this, surrounded by nothing but the sounds of the quiet forest, make him feel at ease. He rests there, lying on the mossy stone cliff, his eyes closed, but not sleeping. He is fully aware and conscious of his surroundings, but almost in a state of mind that puts him elsewhere. Perhaps you could say that he is, finally, relaxed. A chilling wind blows against him, making him shiver ever so slightly. 

Suddenly, in the near distance, he hears a joyful shout, followed by thankful words that he cannot understand from here. He jolts awake, his eyes open, and his gaze rises up to see the light of a campfire flickering gently. It seems that the other settlers are celebrating some  
something, and here he is, all alone in the forest, missing out. His stomach growls softly as the scent of smoke and venison drifts his way, but he shakes it off... or at least, he tries. Perhaps the alone time is over, and he should return home now. After all, there is food, and something dangerous could be out here. He really shouldn't be alone, not now, not here... He admits to it, he is scared. 

It's over now, it is time to go home, or so he thought, before a rush of terror washes over him as the sound of footsteps draws closer.

Quickly thinking, he lays back down and closes his eyes, pretending to be asleep. He knows that those footsteps belong to a human, no doubt about it. Soon, a voice leads to his confirmation.

"...Oliver...?"

Ah, yes, if it isn't August. He hears the sound of his feet transition from shuffling through leaves to walking on rock as he draws near. He lies still, remaining controlled as August kneels down beside him. Oliver, although surprised, does not even flinch when he feels August's hand press against the side of his neck... Oh good lord, he's checking his pulse. Is it really that convincing?

"Oh thank god," August whispers to himself as he removes his hand.

There is a brief pause where, well, nothing happens. It seems to just stand still all for just a moment as Oliver awaits to find out what August will do next. For some reason, he was looking forward to it, but whatever it is, he cannot be sure if he wishes for him to stay or leave. Of course, August stays, and he stays by settling down beside Oliver, his back to the ground. 

Once again, nothing happens. Nothing is said. Everything is motionless. It seems that time simply... stops. Oliver hears his heart beating faster, anxious about the whole situation. What is August doing? He's laying beside him, on his back... 

Oh, he is stargazing. 

Oliver feels his own body relax. The thought that he was with someone who acts like they aren't there at all yet can watch his back is... soothing. It's like having the best of both worlds; he feels alone, but really, he isn't... wait, no, he feels both alone and protected at the same time? What is this feeling? He feels... safe. Safe at last. Ever so slightly, he turns his head to look up at the stars. In this dark wild, it's like the whole galaxy can be seen, it's purple, glittering reflections holding a freeze frame of their dances. Once again, Oliver rests his head, closing his eyes, and letting himself relax as he had done before. He remembers nothing now.


	9. Day 9 - September 23rd

Maya stifles her laughter as Oliver and August stir awake.

"So I see you two lovebirds went running off," she teases. "You're lucky that someone came to pick you up!"

Oliver rubs his eyes and August yawns as they both sit up.

"What are you talking about?" August asks sleepily. "... OH!"

Screams echo through the cave and out into the forest. Oliver pushes August away and scurries to the other side as August hides under his blanket.

"Oh, relax, you two!" Maya laughs. "I was only joking."

August peeks out from his hiding place.

"What happened?" he asks. "Who brought us home?"

"Another new stomach to feed," Maya says. "His name is Hunter Rosenhall. Oh, and I ran into one of your old friends, August. Ricardio, I think his name is."

"Ricardio?!" August repeated. "I thought for sure he was dead! Thank god he's okay."

"I'm glad too," Maya says with a smile. "Well, I'll be gettin' firewood. You two don't go wanderin' off too far, okay?"

"Uh, yeah, sure..." August trails off as Maya leaves the cave.

Silence. Just awkward silence. August knows that Oliver is still there, sulking in embarrassment. He doesn't dare look though, knowing well that Oliver will be upset if he does. At this rate, he doesn't even know what to do. Should he leave the cave? Yes, that may be a good decision. After all, it would show that August is not fixated on Oliver, and perhaps that will make him more comfortable with him. Yeah, that is what he's going to do.

Carefully, August shuffles around the blankets and stands up, untangling himself from the mess. He doesn't hear anything from Oliver, and he can't tell if Oliver is even looking at him or not. He fights off the urge to look and begins walking towards the exit. 

...

"Wait."

With his heart skipping a beat, August freezes in place, glancing over his shoulder at Oliver. He was hugging his knees before, but now he is beginning to stand and approach August. 

"I need to ask you something," he says.

August turns to face him, nervously holding his own hands together. Oliver avoids looking into his eyes, staring at the floor of the cave. He takes in a deep breath and closes his eyes.

"Why the fuck are you doing this?" he asks through gritted teeth.

August frowns, his muscles tensing as he tries to think of an answer that won't tear the two of them apart for good. At first, he only spits out stuttering nonsense.

"I-I... I think you're cool..." he says. "You know, maybe we could be friends...? I worry about you..."

"Why?" Oliver asks as he looks up at August with a challenging glare in his eyes. "Why do you think these things?"

"I don't... I don't know," August sighs. "I mean, you just seem upset all the time, and I wanna help you with that."

"But why?"

"Because I care about you."

"But..."

Oliver looks down again, but this time, solemnly.

"... why?"

There is no answer. August can't think of anything that will end the cycle of questions, and before he even knows what's happening, he was running away. He feels sadness and guilt latch onto him as he realizes that he left Oliver hanging without an answer, but he knows that he can't do it. He slows his pace as he reaches the border, stopping only as he finds his way behind a tree. Pausing and gasping for breath, he wipes the tears from his eyes. Why does this keep happening? Why does he keep freaking out like this. Focus, now... focus and look away.

\---

A refreshing breeze blows through the trees, bringing Ricardio's hair to a flowing form as he stares longingly at the ever growing pile of wood. The new fellow, Hunter, although sweet, seems like no person to mess with, making him, in Ricardio's eyes, a superior. 

Hunter is tall and buff with an inverted triangle shape to his torso, his skin a tanned brown and his hair a shining white. To Ricardio, it looks like toothpaste. He has a small goatee, and painted nails of the same color to match. Ricardio looks at his own nails, seeing the black paint chipping off and silently asking himself why he even bothers. Continuing the observation, he sees Hunter's clothes, nothing that he was really finding fashionable; a blood orange shirt with a yellow star, which isn't all that bad, at least until he spots the yellow triangles on his shoulder. Dark blue pants, red shoes and a blue bracelet, all topped off with deep green eyes. What is this man thinking? What is he wearing?

"Sorry, what?" Hunter says looking up at Ricardio.

Oh dear lord, did he say that out loud?

"Oh, nothing," Ricardio says as calmly as he can. "Uh... do you need any assistance with that?"

"No," Hunter answers almost sourly. "Thank you." 

Ricardio timidly leans back, sensing the tone quite quickly. He feels a stab of guilt and embarrassment in him, but as usual, he is able to ignore it as much as it pains him. He tries his best to not sweat the small stuff, though he always feels something regardless. While the two... superiors continue their work, Ricardio stares at a pile of branches they are collecting. Cautiously, he walks over and picks one up, which surprisingly doesn't seem to upset the superiors, they just pay no mind to him. He sees this as an opportunity and takes a bunch of large sticks dragging the stick away. 

Back at the settlement, Ricardio observes his surroundings for a couple of sturdy trees. Much to his pleasure, it is quite simple, as there are tall, noble oaks just a few yards away from the cave. He rushes over to them and sets to work, making a triangular frame with two of the branches he borrowed. It is at this point that he feels the sensation that he is being watched, and looks up from his work. Sure enough, Tamako and Chet were not far off, curiously staring at him. Pretending he didn't see them, he continues his work, he uses some rope to tie the two sticks together, making sure they were planted firmly in the ground. As he reaches for a larger branch, he hears footsteps approaching behind him.

"Hey, Ricardio," Chet's voice greets. "What are you doing?"

"I'm making a new shelter," Ricardo answers without looking up. "The cave may become too crowded if I don't."

"That's a good idea!" Tamako chimes in. 

"Will it be able to endure a storm?" asks Chet.

"I cannot be sure," Ricardio says. "It'll be okay for the time being. If it is to be swept down by a storm, so be it. We'll just stay in the cave, and I'll rebuild anything that needs to be rebuilt."

"Mind if we help out?" Chet offers. "I mean, you'll be the director here, cuz I know next to nothing about architecture, but you seem to know your stuff."

"That's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me," says Ricardio.

"Do you remember your past life?" Tamako asks in shock.

"No no, my apologies," Ricardio sighs. "It's simply what's been said to me as far as I recall." 

"Depressing," comments Tamako.

It is indeed depressing. However, despite the darkness of the mood, the two settlers begin to assist Ricardio with building shelters, and as the sun travels across the sky, they make several shelters all around the cave. Some shelters are lean-tos, which provide an overall safer home. Other settlers pass by to observe and grow comfortable in their new homes, crawling into them and even bringing along blankets. 

Eventually, night falls, and after a final meal for the night, Ricardio settles down in the first a-frame shelter, curling up under the leaves. Resting his head on his arms, he stares up at the starry night sky, pondering to himself. Almost suddenly, his thoughts are interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps, and soon, standing in front of him, are the two superiors, Hunter and Maya. They look down at him, and for a moment, he feels scared, but Maya kneels down, smiling sweetly, and gently pats him on the head.

"Thank you," she says. "Thank you so much, Ricardio."

Speechless, he just smiles, his eyes closed while holding back some tears and a leap of joy. Maya soon stands and turns away to thank Tamako and Chet, leaving Hunter to look at Ricardio and simply nod to him respectfully with gratitude. As the Hunter walks out of sight towards a shelter, Ricardio wiggles and giggles with excitement, thrilled to know that he has worth, and that he is capable of helping the other settlers. Eventually, he calms himself, and carries on his brief stargazing before falling asleep after a long day of work. Silently, he hopes that no one will stare at his sleeping face for too long when they rise, for he hates that... but for now, he must rest, not worry.


	10. Day 10 - September 24th

The night is calm, the settlers sleep. Not one is awake, all cozy under their blankets of wool and leaves. Their dreams are silent, peaceful and free. Some stay together, while others sleep alone. Marie and Maya remain close, huddling together to hide from the cold winds that threaten to enter their home with each and every blow. Tonight, however, the wind carries more than just a chilling sensation, for along with it comes a terrible sound...

"Maya, Maya, wake up!" Marie whispers as she shakes the sleeping girl. "Someone's calling for help! Maya!!!"

Although exhausted, the news brings a burst of energy to Maya as she rises. She rubs her eyes and quickly stumbles to her feet.

"Wake up the others," she says grabbing her knife. "I'll start following the voice."

"Okay," Marie says. "Good luck, I'll send some after you!"

Maya and Marie both part ways at the cave entrance, heading towards their objectives. Maya can hear the desperate screams, but she cannot identify the gender of the voice so easily. Whoever they were, it was a frail voice with hope withering away rapidly, adding great stride to Maya's ever quickening steps. She can hear the footsteps of an alliance following her, approaching her pace.

"We're here, Maya!" Tamako's voice calls. "Hunter is too!"

"Tell me you both brought weapons!" Maya calls back.

"I brought my spear!" Tamako cheers.

"WHEN THE HELL DID YOU GET A SPEAR?!" Maya shouts.

It is true, she has no idea when Tamako got a spear, or where it came from, but damn right, she has it with her. Maya shakes it off, simply glad that Tamako is at least on her side. The cries continue, but now a new sound follows, and the three of them stop dead in their tracks when they see it...

"It's a fuckin' bear!" Hunter exclaims. 

Scratching against the trunk of a tree is a gargantuan bear, roaring at the prey it cannot reach. Maya looks up to see someone clinging onto the trunk for dear life, fresh crimson blood shining in the light of the moon dripping from their arm. Maya's heart pounds, yet it sinks, is there hope for this person...?

"HEY BEAR!!!"

The bear's head snaps towards the source of the new voice, growling menacingly. Suddenly, a piercing shriek rips through the air, stabbing into Maya's ears. She has no time to think before Tamako charges at the bear with her spear in hand. She pounces, her hawk-like screech still continuing as she stabs into its flesh. The bear falls back and roars in agony, and Hunter takes the opportunity now. Quickly, he runs up to the tree and begins to climb, heading for the distraught individual. They are small, especially compared to Hunter, pale and frail and dressed in a torn, dark blue jacket with a white stripe across their chest. The jacket is zipped up completely, hiding the lower half of their face. Their hair matches their coat, a sleek silk that falls just below their ears, a mere few strands dangling between their eyes. Their dark grey jeans were covered in mud and blood, and their feet were bare, as they most likely lost their shoes and socks somehow. They shiver, staring at Hunter in terror with gleaming yellow eyes.

"It's okay," he says softly. "I'm not gonna hurt you, I'm here to help."

The person whimpered hopefully as they reached for Hunter, clinging onto his neck. 

"Ack... loosen that grip a lil!" Hunter says.

Hunter can feel them shivering as their bloody arm slacks. He cautiously makes his way to the ground, one arm on the trunk, and the other holding onto the young victim. He glances back at Maya and Tamako, who seem to have finished off the bear.

"Did you really have to kill it?" he asks.

"Pelts, bones and meat!" Tamako says as she wipes blood off of her face.

"Yeah," says Maya. "Not to mention saving somebody."

Hunter feels the newcomer bury their face into his shoulder. He wraps his other arm around them to support them as they begin their walk back to the settlement. Just as he turns, Hunter sees Marie, Chet and Ash approaching.

"Is everyone alright??" Marie asks.

"Everyone is fine," Hunter says. "... Except for the bear. This one here has a big scratch on his arm though."

"Bloody hell, you killed a bear?!" Chet exclaims.

"Well, Tamako did," says Hunter. "She'll use it for resources."

"I'll take the new one," Ash offers as he holds out his arms. "You take care of the bear."

"Thank you," Hunter says gratefully as he hands the newcomer to Ash. 

Ash winces a bit as he holds the new weight, hoisting them up to his shoulders. They hold onto him tightly, blinking in a bit of what seems to be confusion.

"It's cool," Ash grunts out. "I got 'em."

Hunter nods as he turns to look back at his companions.

"Hey, wasn't there someone else around here?" he recalls. "I heard someone yell at the bear or something."

"I'm here!"

From the darkness of the forest emerges yet another new stranger, this one, however, not as small and meek as the scarred victim, but still not as big and intimidating as Hunter. His skin color is a tad bit less saturated than Marie's, a soft tanned brown, messy hair a deep pine green tied into a short ponytail with strands lazily hanging in front of his face. He wears a ripped up red crop top, a black binder over his chest, dark maroon jeans and big, black boots. His accessories are something else; a couple of red bracelets, and every facial piercing that Hunter is aware of; earrings, helixes, snake bites, a nostril and a nose ring, all topped off with a black, spiked collar around his neck. In his hand, he carries a big red first-aid kit. It is a fashionable sight to behold, and he clearly has a statement to make. For some reason unknown to him, Hunter only now notices the color of the stranger's eyes: a brownish deep red, almost. It is hard to say.

"Not gonna lie," the stranger says in their bright and friendly voice. "That was pretty sick!"

"Haha, thanks," Tamako replies awkwardly. 

"Thanks again," Maya says. "Say uh, what's your name?"

"The name's Ito," the stranger says. "Kouji Ito."

This is clearly someone who has no idea what they're doing. Chet mutters something inaudible under his breath. Whatever it is, it sounds disappointed.

"Tell you what," Kouji says. "You guys take me back to your village or wherever you come from and I'll patch you all up, sound cool?"

Maya and Hunter exchange glances, particularly watching Ash carrying the first newcomer home... Maya then looks at Tamako, who actually gives her a rather... reassuring look. She feels herself really trust her in that moment, she has no idea why, but she gets the feeling that if anything were to go wrong, Tamako would back her up and keep her safe. It is strange to say the least.

"It's a deal," Maya agrees as she looks back to Kouji.

"Follow us," Tamako speaks calmly.

"Thanks guys!" Kouji says. 

Maya turns to lead the way while Tamako, Hunter and Marie tend to transporting the bear, which is not an easy task. Chet averts his eyes from the corpse and walks close to Maya, keeping quiet. It concerns her somewhat, wondering if he is distressed by the death of the animal... or just distressed in general. Admittedly, Maya herself is worried about the fact that... well... there are more stomachs to feed. There are now more people to house, cleanse, and hopefully, work. Where are all these people coming from? Why are they here? Can this be stopped?

"Maya," Chet's voice says, interrupting her thoughts.

"Hm?" Maya hums as she realizes that Chet has been talking to her.

"I need to ask you something... a little weird," he says quietly. "It might be a bit personal too, I hope it doesn't offend you."

"What's up?" Maya asks.

"Are you religious in any way?"

Maya ponders the question, trying to remember something, anything about it. What does she believe? How did she come to it? The memories are all foggy, but she does not remember any deity being real to her.

"Not that I recall," she answers. "Why?"

Chet goes silent for a mere few seconds.

"Do you think..." he begins hesitantly. "Do you think we could be in Heaven or Hell?"

Maya freezes in her tracks, causing Chet to walk past her just a few steps. It seems that she's doing that... thing again, where she holds almost completely still and remains deep in thought...

"Is something wrong?" Kouji asks as he catches up.

"... No, nothing," Maya bluffs. "I'm okay."

"I'm sorry, Maya," Chet says.

"Don't worry about it, Chet."

"Ah, so you're Maya and he's Chet?" Kouji repeats.

"Yeah," Chet says as he takes Maya's hand. "Come on, we gotta get back home."

Maya blinks a little before following.

"Chet Perez," he continues. "Her name is Maya er... Canzanilla! Yeah, that's what it was."

"And what about those other guys back there?" Kouji asks.

"We'll talk about them later," Chet says. "I can't speak for them."

Kouji says nothing, respecting his decision. Maya remains silent, staring at the ground as Chet guides her along the way. The sound of footsteps and the other settlers behind them talking fades away, the anxiety taking over, but keeping her on her path. There is slight vertigo, and she stumbles, but her friends keep her in place...

Perhaps that is a metaphor for her to think about.

\---

The sun peeks over the horizon, and the cave has never felt so peaceful yet so riled at the same time.

"Is everyone here?" Marie calls nervously. "Let's see, Maya, Tamako, August, Chet, Ash, Ricardio, Kouji... where's Oliver and Hunter???"

"Hunter went to get more firewood," August answers.

"Do you know where Oliver is?" Marie asks.

"Why would I know?" August questions in a slightly offended tone.

"Oh, no reason..." Marie says softly. "Maya, sweetie, would you be a doll and look for Oliver? I hope he isn't in any danger..."

"Sure thing," Maya says with a sigh.

Marie watches as Maya leaves the cave. In both her and August, she can feel a peculiar discomfort. It feels as if everyone is upset about something, whether it be a personal issue or a mutual one. She looks over at the first newcomer for some good news. Kouji is bandaging their wound while Ash practically cradled them in his arms. It was strange to say the least, seeing someone as quiet and antisocial as Ash almost immediately click with someone he knows nothing about. Perhaps it is because of how quiet they are...

"Are they okay?" Marie asks.

"They're just fine!" Kouji says confidently. "The bleeding has stopped... you snoozin'?"

The newcomer just makes a little humming noise, a brief, quiet grunt.

"They want to..." Ash whispers.

"Can we at least ask their name first?" Chet asks.

"Good idea," says Marie. "What's your name?"

...

The newcomer shrugs. The attending settlers all exchange glances.

"I don't think they know..." Ash says. "They don't remember."

"Let's name them!" Tamako chimes in.

The settlers share an awkward chuckle.

"As long as they're okay with it..." Marie says.

...

The newcomer shrugs again.

"They don't seem to mind," says Ash.

Everyone goes quiet, staring curiously at the newcomers for ideas. They shiver a bit, adjusting themselves to hide their face in Ash's shoulder.

"Don't stare," he warns protectively.

"Ah, sorry," Marie says. "Hmmm... Well, we want to keep it simple, not too long, easily recognizable..."

It is chaos.

"Sammy."

"Absolutely not. I think Ashley is good, gender neutral and such."

"Bitch that's my name."

"Oh, shit, right, sorry."

"Maybe Amber-?"

"Ruby!"

"They're more blue than red though..."

"Hm, good point."

"Well that was dumb..."

They all go quiet again.

...

"Hey, you know," Ash says to break the silence. "I think that the 'S' sound suits them well, like a name that begins with a hissing sound..."

"Like a snake," Tamako comments. "How'd you get that idea?"

"I dunno," Ash says with a shrug.

"Funny, cuz I was thinking Brutus," Kouji says jokingly. 

...

Ricardio mutters something under his breath.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" Marie asks.

"Caesar," Ricardo mutters louder. "It's silly, I know... I just cannot think of anything else."

...

"I like it," says Ash.

Everyone snaps their heads to look at Ash. It feels like this newcomer is... communicating through Ash. That, or Ash just knows exactly how they feel... somehow. Is he lying just to make things progress faster? No, that can't be, the newcomer seems to like him... unless they are very, VERY passive. 

"You... like it...?" Ricardio asks timidly. 

Ash nods once, and the newcomer relaxes a bit. Ricardio blushes somewhat, flattered by the unexpected compliment. Finally, Maya returns home with Hunter and Oliver, all three of them carrying either or both firewood and fruit. Marie smiles at them as they enter.

"Welcome back," she says. "We'd like you all to meet Caesar."


	11. Day 11 - September 25th

Everyone stays close today, not wishing to stray far after yesterday morning's incident. Progress is made quietly: Ricardio and Hunter setting up a couple more shelters, Tamako and Marie preparing meals, Oliver watering his plants, Kouji patrolling the border and watching over the others... it is actually somewhat relaxing. Maya, Ash and Caesar rest in the cave, listening to the lunch ladies playfully joke and bicker. Caesar is settled beside Ash, who had joined him there earlier.

Groaning, Maya rolls over in her bed of leaves, pressing her hands against her forehead. A headache has grown, and it bites at her brain relentlessly. It doesn't help that she can't stop thinking about how Ash and Caesar just... clicked. Ash doesn't seem to be one to trust people so quickly, especially considering how he planned to leave immediately after he had recovered from his injuries... yet, the moment he met Caesar, he stayed close to him all day, keeping him warm and basically speaking for him, as if he understands everything he means. Perhaps it could be so, but it still doesn't make any sense... 

Maya glances back at Ash and Caesar, who seem to be taking a nap. Looks like Ash was taking the day off from work to take care of this... baby... She supposes that's how she'll silently think of it. 

Interrupting Maya's thoughts, Tamako skitters past her and out of the cave. She blinks before turning over again, swallowing the sour taste in her throat. From what she can see, Marie has finished her work for now, and was taking a break. Maybe now would be a good time to talk to her... Cautiously, she stands up and lets the headache pains complain about her movement before approaching her companion.

"Hey, Marie," she begins with a conscious whisper. "Can we talk? Preferably in private?"

"Sure thing, Maya," Marie says sweetly. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Er, not really," Maya admits. "Come with me."

The two girls quietly creep past the sleeping boys and head for the forest, far from anyone else. Maya prepares herself to speak softly, not wanting to draw any attention to them.

"What's the matter?" Marie asks as they walk.

"My head is killing me," Maya says. "It doesn't help that I also can't stop thinking about how Ash and Caesar just got along so quickly... it's so weird..."

"I'm sorry to hear that you feel that way," Marie says as she settles down upon a rock. "I'll give you a cold compress when we go back."

Maya sits beside her, still glancing around to make sure that nobody was listening... especially Tamako. She could be anywhere...

"I need to be honest with you," Maya says. "...I think I'm gonna be on the rag..."

"Ohh I see," Marie hums. "To be truthful... I never actually experienced that, it must be horrible."

"What do you mean?" Maya asks. 

Marie looks a bit uneasy, staring at the ground and twiddling her thumbs.

"I'm a trans woman," she says. "But... I haven't fully transitioned."

Maya remains quiet, waiting for Marie to continue...

"That's all I have to say," Marie says. "I mean... I figured you wanted to talk to another woman about it, but... I don't think I can provide what you're looking for, as I don't have the guts."

Maya chuckles at Marie's little joke.

"It's okay," Maya says. "You know, I'm proud of you, no matter what your guts are."

"Someday I'll have the right guts!" Marie laughs. "At least... I hope..."

"There has to be a way," Maya says. "Maybe we'll build a boat and sail to somewhere better... like home."

"But this is our home, right?" says Marie. "Do you really think that we have homes elsewhere?"

Maya stares at the canopy of trees above her, listening to the rustling of the leaves...

"There has to be, but for now, yes; this is our home."

\---

Something about living here in the forest with people he can trust seems to have relaxed Ricardio over time. Still, he worries about the others and taking care of them all as well as himself, but it almost feels as if nothing could go wrong anymore, even after yesterday's incident. Now, he rests in a newly made shelter, watching the water of the pond ripple ever so slightly.

"Is that one decent?" Hunter's voice asks from outside. 

"Yes," Ricardio answers, snapping out of his deep thoughts. "I could fall asleep in here..."

"Then go ahead," Hunter says as he peeks into the shelter. "You deserve it, man."

Ricardio blushes shyly, avoiding eye contact.

"Oh, sorry," Hunter speaks in a near whisper. "I'll leave you alone for a bit, okay? Get some rest."

"Mhmm," is all Ricardio responds with.

Hunter gives him a friendly smile before leaving Ricardio alone with his thoughts. He rolls over, covering himself with leaves until he is sure that he was almost completely hidden. It almost feels like burrowing a nest, as if he is some kind of majestic creature... but he shakes the thought away. The idea of thinking highly of himself in any way makes him feel... nervous. He doesn't like it. What if he's suppressing an inner narcissist? No, that cannot be so, it's not that bad... Truly, he does not believe that he is wonderful enough to even be compared to a mere songbird, rather he will most likely think of someone else as so. He sighs, pondering if anyone will ever think of him as lovely as he will them...

...

"So... what do you think?"

A voice has awoken Ricardio from his drifting thoughts, and he realizes that he can hear Chet and August talking, standing just beside the shelter in which he was resting.

"What do you mean what do I think?" Chet asks. "I'm just here to listen, right?"

"I need advice," August says. "I don't know what to do..."

"And you expect me to know?" Chet nearly shouts. "I'm... not sure if I'll be able to. Being a demi ace doesn't exactly help."

"I mean... you seem to know how to talk to people," August says. "What should I say?"

"Well... what do you like about him?"

Ricardio tenses up... dear goodness, he shouldn't be listening to this conversation... but, what is he going to do now, stir and scare them? No, he must stay, just say nothing...

"I... I guess I just think he's cute..." August mutters. "But I mean like... I worry about him... He's just so..."

There's a pause, supposedly as August leans in to whisper to Chet.

"August, seriously?" Chet scoffs. "I'm shorter than him!"

Ricardio holds his breath, catching himself being amused by the conversation.

"Yeah, well...! I could carry him!"

Don't laugh...

"Are you bloody calling me fat?!"

Oh god...

"No! I'm just... flimsy with noodle arms!"

Disaster has sprung.

Before he realizes what's happening, Ricardio is consumed by his own giggling fit, giving him away. 

"... Oh my god... oh you fuck...!"

Soon, the blanket of leaves is hastily brushed off of Ricardio, and he's dragged out of the shelter by his feet.

"You smug little bastard!" August shouts. "Were you snooping around in my business??"

"I-! I didn't mean to!!" Ricardio says fighting the giggles. "I was... trying to sleep... hehe..."

"You can't cute your way out of this one, Ricky," Chet scolds. "... Hmm..."

Ricardio sits up, hugging his knees and looking at Chet curiously. To his surprise, Chet kneels in front of him, pulling August down with him.

"Maybe you can help August?"

"Who, me?"

"Yes you, who else?"

The suggestion gives Ricardio a small shock of fear that runs through him.

"I-I can't be sure if I'm ready to... discuss such things..." he mutters with a blush in his cheeks. 

"Here's an idea," August chimes in. "Tell me what you would want someone to do with you if you were dating them."

"OH! YOU!" Ricardio squeaks as he buries his face in his hands. "I can't!"

"Dear god, don't word it like that, August!" Chet snaps.

"Please, Ricky! Please!" August pleads.

As embarrassing as the whole situation is, Ricardio toughens up. He may as well try.

"Well... I don't really mind what their gender is..." he begins. "... but whatever they are, I suppose I'd like-"

"Do not say long walks on the beach. I can't do that."

"I will not! Besides, there are no beaches here, at least as far as we are aware..."

Ricardio swallows a bit... What is about to happen now...? It's all bubbling up inside of him, so many thoughts that need to be said... He might as well say them.

"To be truthful... if someone were to ever love me, I would be... surprised. I mean... that alone is near enough for me. All I ask is that we are there for each other, and we may spend peaceful days and nights together, for knowing that someone loves me... it just makes me happy. 

But that is not what you're looking for. You want to know how to begin this relationship with someone. I do not know this person, and I'm sure that even if you told me, I could not speak for them, therefore my advice may not be accurate to what they desire. However, I believe that the best thing you could do at this time is just be honest with them. Tell them how you feel, and tell them that... you'll always be there for them if they need you, whatever that reason may be. If it is to console as a shoulder to cry on, a tender touch, a supporter in a fight, or merely just someone to stay close... let them know that you swear to be that person. A relationship such as this should not spark fear, but rather shoo it away. You should be comfortable with one another when you two have established your love. The only challenge now is... well... establishing it..."

As he glances back and forth at his two friends, both of whom have their jaws dropped, Ricardio realizes just how much he has said in such little time. He looks away, nervously rolling his wrists behind his tucked up knees.

"That..." Chet gasps. "Was... amazing."

"You really think so...?" Ricardio chuckles nervously. "Those were just ramblings, nothing significant."

"I'm totally gonna follow your advice!" August says joyously. "I'm gonna go talk to Oliver now, thank you, Ricardio."

"What?!" Ricardio exclaims in shock. "You're in love w-?!"

He slaps his hand over his own mouth, stopping himself from speaking. Chet laughs as August has a miniature heart attack clearly expressed on their face.

"I'm sorry..." Ricardio peeps.

"Nah, no worries, heh..." August says with a nervous smirk. "Er... anyways... I'm gonna go talk to him now. Thanks again."

Ricardio welcomes August with a nod, and they run off to find their loved one. Chet sighs as Ricardio stares at the ground.

"Thanks for helping me out with that," he says. "Sorry if we woke you up from your beauty sleep."

"My what?"

"Your what?"

"Nevermind."

\---

August's heart pounds as he draws close to the garden, the sight of Oliver making his palm sweat. He doesn't seem to notice them, kneeling down in the dirt and staring at some sprouts in the ground. It's almost as if he's just sleeping, nothing else to care about but a few tiny sprouts... it is almost saddening. Taking in a deep breath, August begins to move closer, their footsteps light and soft on the dying grass. Slowly but surely, Oliver picks up on the sounds, and rises to his feet. He glances over his shoulder, and August stops in their tracks. As Oliver turns to face them, it feels like a lifetime passes by just by looking into his eyes, those deep, emerald eyes...

Not a word is said. Oliver just looks at them, waiting for something. To August's greatest relief, he shows no sign of impatience, rather his expression was soft and... welcoming. He looks curious, just... waiting...

"I've come to answer your question," August says.

Oliver is silent, his gaze not leaving August. All he does is hold his hands together and blink, perhaps he's trying not to scare them...

Perhaps they should carry on.

"When... When I first met you, you seemed so... frail," August continues. "You looked so scared and helpless, so... hungry... It just made me want to help you, I felt like I could do something, I thought you were... charming, like... I thought you were cute. I guess you could call it a crush. I just wanted you to know that, and if you ever need somebody, for whatever reason, I'll be there for you. I want to be there for you, and if you don't feel the same way about me... that's fine. I'll get over it. I don't want this to be upsetting to you, I want it to be something that makes you feel better. Just... whatever you're feeling... know that I love you."

It is out. 

All that they have wanted to say to him is out, and now all that's left is to see what the response will be...

Oliver smiles at the ground, crossing his arms and closing his eyes.

"Of all people, you pick me," he says with a chuckle. "I can't believe it. You've known me for what, a week, and you're already saying that I'm the one?"

"There's no such thing," August almost snaps. "There are many people out there that could be the person you're looking for, there are so many options! Of course, I'm not saying that because you're my only option, because... well... you're not my only option. I have many options, but I choose you. Why? Because I want to. I feel something special about you."

"But we only just met!" Oliver retaliates. "How can you be so sure?"

"I'm not."

Oliver's eyebrows raise as he looks up at August.

"I'm not sure," they say. "I want to try with you. We barely know each other, so what? We can get to know each other now. What is stopping us?"

Oliver uncrosses his arms, holding his hands together by his chest. He doesn't know how to respond. He knows that the only thing really stopping the formation of a relationship between him and August was himself...

"...Why do I push people away...?" he sighs. "I have to stop doing that..."

"So... what's your answer?" August asks. "No pressure, just.. I wanna know. If you need time, just say. I'll do whatever you need."

Despite his previous claims, August could still feel their heart beating a mile a minute. The heat is rising to their face as Oliver examines them up and down. He does not have a challenging expression, more like one that makes it seem as if... he feels challenged? Either Oliver is being unbelievably kind, or he genuinely feels this way... or both...

Whatever the truth is, August can only hope and keep their cool as Oliver takes in a deep breath...

"... Okay," he sighs. "I'll try being with you."

Euphoria washes over August as the meaning settles in.

"R-Really...?" they choke out. "Y-You really wanna...???"

"Yeah," Oliver mutters as he wipes a tear from his eye. "I just... I know that you feel this way about me and I'm... shocked, honestly... I..."

Before August can speak again, suddenly, Oliver throws his arms around them tightly, burying his face into their chest. Although in shock, August pulls themself together and gingerly embraces him, and, not wanting to take it too far too soon, resists the urge to pet Oliver's hair.

...

"You really do mean it..."

"Hm?"

"You really do mean it," Oliver repeats with a laugh. "Your heart is going nuts."

August can't help but smile. Well, what can be said? They managed to make the person they love happy, and they will continue to make each other happy, they will both try their best. That's all that matters right now.


	12. Day 12 - September 26th

Every night is colder than the last. Autumn is almost in full swing, the cold winds grow stronger. In a heap of leaves under a sturdy shelter, Ash lies with Caesar, the two of them bundling together to stay warm. It isn't unusual, as most of the settlers have taken to sleeping in groups. Sometimes they'd be in pairs, sometimes trios, sometimes they'd start as a pair and then grow into a bunch. 

As awkward as the clustering is for him, Ash gets the strange feeling that he needs to protect Caesar, this small, frail young man in his arms. He notes every rise and fall of his breathing, every little whimper in his sleep, every pulse of his heart. Despite barely knowing him, it is an instinct that Ash chooses not to fight. Perhaps some sort of destiny is telling him to do this, and he can't tell if he likes it or not. Whatever it is, Caesar seems to have a mutual feeling with Ash. He acts as if he wants to stay close to him, but he still has an uneasy look in his eyes. This has to be some kind of memory that has faded away... it has to be...

... Who are you...?

\---

Dawn is arriving. The sunbeams peek through the leaves, flickering into the cave and onto Marie's face. It's an irritating thing, and she rolls over in hopes of escaping it. For some reason, she is quite tired today, even though she didn't stay up late or anything the night before. She can hear Maya mumbling in her sleep nearby, something about turkeys... maybe she should ask Tamako if she could switch up the menu a little more. 

"Just put the turkey in the oven already... damn..."

Poor Maya. We don't even have an oven...

Marie lets out a little yawn, gently kneading her blanket with her hands. A soft slumber soon finds itself rising over her, and she begins to doze off once more...

...

"CAEEEEESAAAAAARRRRRRRRR!!!"

Marie jolts awake, her eyes wide open. What was that noise? Was that a mere glimpse at a nightmare...?

"CAESAAAAAAARRRR!!! WHERE ARE YOU?!?!?"

No... this is real life.

Without warning, a burst of energy shoots through Marie at the sound of the cry, and her body yanks itself off of the floor, tossing the blanket aside. Followed by Maya, she bolts out of the cave, searching for the source of the desperate cries.

"PLEASE!!! CAESAR!!!"

The last cry rings out. There they stand in the woods, staring at him.

Ash gazes out into the forest with his back turned to Marie and Maya, his hands and knees quivering.

"... Ash...?"

He turns to look at them, his eyes shining with tears. He sniffles and wipes his face with his sleeve.

"I'm fine..." he bluffs.

"No, something is wrong," Marie says softly as she approaches him. "What happened?"

Ash looks away from her, trying to remain strong and calm. 

"He's gone..." he chokes out. "I-I lost Caesar... H-He just... disappeared..."

"When did you last see him?" Maya asks. 

"He... He was with m-... me..." Ash whimpers while fighting the tears. "Sleeping... I-I dunno what's happening... I-I..."

Giving in, Ash lets the tears escape his eyes and trickle down his cheek. Marie frowns, upset, sympathetic, and admittedly, surprised and confused. What is it about Caesar that had led Ash to react to his disappearance this way...? Wait, there are more important things to discuss...

"We will search for him," Marie assures him. "You need some alone time."

Ash nods silently, crossing his arms and averting his gaze.

"Maya," Marie calls. "Organize a searching party."

Without another word, the girls turn and leave Ash alone in the forest. He can already hear the worried shouts of the other settlers. Marie is right; he definitely needs some time alone... to vent... Knowing what's incoming, he settles down beneath a tree, his vision blurring, and his heart pounding the painful blood through his veins. His chest tenses up, his mind gnawing at itself in agony. He must not cry... he must not cry... do not cry...

...

"What the hell am I doing?" he scolds himself aloud. "He's not gonna come back if I sit here and cry about it... I gotta do something."

...

"...Why am I even crying? I barely know him..."

\----

"Everyone, listen up!" Maya shouts over the concerned mumblings.

The settlers go quiet to listen to their leader.

"Caesar has gone missing, and we've gotta find him," she continues. "We'll group into pairs, never go alone."

"She's right," Marie adds in. "Although it has never been truly established, we should all stay together as often as we can, particularly when working or exploring further from home. Do we all understand?"

The settlers all nod, and Marie smiles with satisfaction. She looks at Maya as a gesture to continue speaking.

"Marie and I will be a pair," she says. "I'll leave you all to pick your own partners."

Maya feels a little anxious saying that out loud, fearing that some may be left out... Let's see it all unfold:

Kouji goes with Hunter...

August goes with Oliver...

Chet goes with Ricardio...

And Tamako is all alone...

"God forsaken men!!!" she curses as the boys scatter away from her.

"Don't worry about it," Maya sighs, approaching the huntress. "Come on, I'll pair you up with Ash."

Tamako huffs with a low growl coming from her throat. Marie shivers a little, but Maya doesn't seem to question it as they begin to walk to the forest. She knows Tamako, she can trust her. She stood alone with her when they first met, she's provided food for them, and she even helped them save Caesar's life, and yet the others are still uneasy around her, minus August, Ricardio and Chet of course, or at least, they are the most comfortable around her. 

"Ash," Marie calls into the woods. "We're here to help, please come out."

Maya blinks and awakens from her thoughts, watching as Ash creeps out from behind a tree. He stares at them, his eyes itching red and his hands trembling ever so slightly. Despite his uneasiness, his face remained stern, almost grim. 

"Well?" he says. 

"We're searching for Caesar as groups of two," Marie explains. "Tamako will be your partner."

"Good," says Ash. 

To Maya, it was a little surprising to see how quickly Ash accepted Tamako's partnership, considering how antisocial he is... She isn't complaining, however.

"You two keep going in this direction," Maya says. 

Ash nods in understanding, and Tamako approaches him, looking right into his eyes. Somehow, this gaze of hers was not threatening like usual, but more trustworthy and encouraging. It was almost comforting.

"We will find your friend," she says firmly. "Let's go."

\---

"Goodness gracious, what an unpleasant awakening," Ricardio sighs. 

"I've never heard Ash so upset," Chet says. "I just hope that Caesar is okay..."

"Quite frankly, I'm surprised that you all accepted the name I gave him," Ricardio says.

"It's a good name," Chet compliments as he kicks a stray rock out of his path. "How'd you think of it anyway?"

"I cannot be sure," Ricardio says. "I feel like it is somehow connected to the name 'Brutus,' but I don't know how..."

"Maybe it was in reference to another one of those things that we liked!" 

"Pardon?"

"You know, something from our past lives."

"Ah..."

Ricardio slows to a halt, staring at the ground.

"I do not like thinking about that..." he mutters.

"What's wrong?" Chet asks, stopping and turning to face him. "Did you remember something?"

"Unfortunately, no," Ricardio sighs once again. "Perhaps... maybe... I do remember... but I only recall the feeling..."

"What do you mean by that?" 

"It's not important," Ricardio says almost sternly. "We have to keep looking for Caesar."

"But this is important!" Chet exclaims. "This could be some sort of evidence explaining where we all came from and how to get out of here?"

Ricardio looks up at Chet, a look of disbelief and... disgust on his face...

"You want to leave this place?" Ricardio questions. "But why? It seems so fruitful, and we can save so many other people here..."

"We all got here somehow," Chet says with determination. "I wanna find out how and see if there really is another world out there!"

"Where did the idea of another world even sprout?" asks Ricardio. "What if this is how life is now? What if the universe made a new humanity, and we are the ones who are left? What if-?"

"Oh stop," Chet scolds. "It can't be that deep... I guess what I'm saying is that if you can have those feelings about your past life, there has to be a place where it happened."

"Hm... 'past life...'" Ricardio repeats. "As if I was never Ricardio Montague..."

"Maybe you weren't," Chet says. "Maybe reincarnation is real."

Ricardio shivers, tears beginning to form in his eyes.

"Ughh... Why do I feel like this...?" he says sickly. "Let's keep looking for Caesar. I do not want to talk about this any longer."

"Okay, I won't bring it up again," Chet says reassuringly.

Ricardio seems to calm, his quivering coming to a halt and his body relaxing. Although Chet knows him well, he gets this strange sensation that Ricardio's past life was... bitter... If he had a past life, that is... Quite frankly, he doesn't even know what's happening anymore, but he's determined to find out somehow. 

Surely, there must be a way to take these emotions and make them uncover the memories from which they originate.

\---

Kouji examines the ground, the trees, the leaves, everything. Every little detail of the forest, hellbent on finding some evidence as to where Caesar could have gone.

"There has to be something around here somewhere," he growls in frustration. "People just don't disappear like that!"

"You can't say the same about them appearing though," Hunter says. "To be honest, if we can all just wake up in the middle of the woods with almost complete amnesia, wouldn't it make sense for us to just fall asleep and disappear?"

"That's called death, Hunter," Kouji replies.

"Not necessarily," Hunter argues while looking up at the tree branches. "I mean for one of us to fall asleep and to go back to where we came from. Maybe that's what happened to Caesar."

"Maybe this is all just a dream..." Kouji breathes. "Maybe you're just my imagination."

"Nah, I'm pretty real," Hunter laughs. "... At least I think I am..."

"Ah fuck!" Kouji curses. "What if I'm the one who isn't real?! What if the dreamer wakes up?? What if the reason Caesar is gone is because the dreamer forgot about him??? Do you think I'm dreamy enough to be a dream???"

Hunter bursts out laughing, making Kouji smile with pride.

"Good build-up there, dude," he chuckles. "Really had me there. I wouldn't be surprised if you're right though."

"Whatever is true, I really don't mind much," Kouji says. "All I care about is staying alive."

...

...

...

"You care a lot, don't you?"

"I care IMMENSELY, Hunter. The suspense is killing me."

Hunter laughs once again.

"Boy, you're a real treat to have around," he says. "Say... you know what I just remembered?"

"What's up?" Kouji asks.

"I actually think I might've heard Caesar last night," Hunter recalls. "I heard something walking around outside of the shelters when I woke up at one point. I just assumed it was an animal or Marie checking up on us. I was too tired to look though."

"I sure hope it was Caesar!" Kouji exclaims. "That would mean he didn't just disappear into thin air!"

"Makes me wonder if someone will just randomly appear in front of us, y'know?"

"Please don't scare me like that."

\---

Walking in the woods together, alone from the rest of the settlers. The relationship they have just established was all so new to them, where to start? What kind of commitment is it? Should he say something? Should he give him a gift? What happens next? How will it evolve-?

"Hey hey, Earth to August!"

August blinks, his head snapping over to face Oliver.

"Hm?" he hums. "What happened?"

"I found this," Oliver says while approaching him. 

Gingerly, Oliver hands a piece of dark blue cloth to August. It is ragged, covered in dirt and what appears to be a small blood stain.

"Oh shit..." August whines. "I hope he's okay..."

"I mean, I found it on a prickly bush," Oliver says. "He probably just ran into that or something, nothing major."

"Did you prick yourself too?" August asks.

"... Yes," Oliver admits. "I didn't make a noise or anything though, you were deep in thought anyway."

August pockets the cloth and holds out his hand.

"Let me see," he demands.

"What?"

"Let me see your injuries."

"Oh please," Oliver scoffs. "It's nothing."

Regardless of his statement, Oliver holds out his right hand for August, showing several tiny scratches and punctures on his hand. Thin streaks of blood leak from them, and August squints... 

"I-I wouldn't worry about it..." Oliver says quietly. "It's not all that bad..."

Ignoring him, August reaches into his other pocket and pulls out a long, clean cloth and hastily ties it around Oliver's wounded hand.

"You didn't have to do that..." Oliver mutters.

"Yes, I did," August says sternly. "It could've become infected. Kouji told me so."

"You believe that stoner?" Oliver laughs. "Oh you..."

"Well, it's more about how I care about you, sweet stuff," August flirts before kissing Oliver's hand.

Oliver squeaks and pulls back his hand, a blush growing on his cheeks.

"Uh, thanks," he nervously chuckles. "Let's get back to looking for Caesar. It's... you know, a bit more important that m-..."

Oliver cuts himself off when he realizes that what he was about to say would lead to another loving scolding from August.


	13. Day 13 - September 27th

"I'm not really sure I can pull this off…"

"Of course you can, this is the perfect plan!"

"This is a bad plan."

"Just have some faith in yourself, bro!"

"No!"

Kouji sighs in frustration, palming his face as Ricardio stubbornly crosses his arms.

"It would be a disaster," he says. "I simply cannot do it. The structures would collapse at the slightest breeze."

"Please, Ricky," Kouji pleads. "You have to make bigger structures so that we can all have our own place to live and work! When winter comes, we can't just sleep in those little triangles, and we can't all just pile up in the cave the whole season!"

Ricardio has gradually started pacing and pulling at his hair, growling at himself.

"I don't understand!" he says. "I don't understand! I just don't understand! Agh!!!"

Kouji opens his mouth to speak, but stops himself as Ricardio keeps muttering. Closing his mouth, he waits patiently for Ricardio to calm down.

"It's okay," he says. "I know it's a lot of weight on your shoulders, and there's nothing wrong with asking for help. We aren't the best architects, but we can help you."

Ricardio scratches at a tree and rips the bark off of its trunk, leaving large, bare markings on the surface. Kouji says nothing, still waiting for Ricardio's thoughts.

"I don't want you to be upset by this," Kouji says softly. "I'm not rushing you, I'm just gonna go get some other stuff done for now."

Suddenly, Ricardio stops destroying the tree bark and looks back at Kouji with a guilty whine, a saddened stare in his eyes.

"It's okay, don't worry!" Kouji says reassuringly. "It's totally fine."

"I'm sorry…" Ricardio whimpers. "I just… I don't… I don't know if I can do it…"

"Well, you don't know if ya don't try!" Kouji says with a smile.

"I guess…" Ricardio mutters.

Kouji approaches Ricardio and gives him an encouraging pat on the shoulder before leaving him alone. Trying to accept the compassion, Ricardio looks up at the scarred tree, admiring it in an optimistic light. Kouji watches him from a near distance to see how his communication had pulled off. He knows that Ricardio is on the autism spectrum, that's for sure, but finding the precision as to where is difficult. Whatever it is, Kouji makes sure to be clear and comforting with him, giving him nothing to use against himself. It is clear to see that Ricardio doesn't think highly of himself, despite his wonderful talents. Perhaps it is best for Kouji to keep an eye on him.

With a lingering gaze on Ricardio, Kouji begins to enter the cave, surprised to find that nobody else was present. It looks like even Marie and Chet have taken advantage of the warm weather. Maybe he should go check on Oliver or Hunter, maybe they need some bandages…

"Hey you."

Kouji yelps in surprise and whirls around to see the craftsman standing in the cave entrance. He is practically looming over him in this light, tall, slender, and stern. His eyes look tired, as if he is war torn… is he? No, he can't be. They haven't figured any of this out yet.

"Oh, hello, you!" Kouji chuckles awkwardly as he brushes away his shock. "Uh… what's your name again?"

"Ash," he says. "You're the medic around here, right?"

Kouji nods.

"That's me."

"Hm…"

Ash walks to a leaf pile and kneels down on top of it, soon falling to lie on his side. It is quite majestic, at least, to Kouji, who is all alone with him in this cave.

"I need to have a talk with you," Ash says in a calm voice.

Kouji feels his cheeks grow a little warm at the request, but sits across from Ash without pausing long enough to make it noticeable.

"What's up?" he asks casually.

"I've heard about you," Ash begins. "Hunter told me a thing or two about what you said to him yesterday."

"Hey, that's personal stuff!" Kouji growls.

"What?" Ash asks. "... Oh, no, what the fuck? I'm talking about your theories about why we're even here."

A lightheadedness creeps up on Kouji as his embarrassment quickly rises and falls in a brief loop.

"Oh," he says. "Uh… I get it. Go on…"

"Anyway…" Ash awkwardly continues. "Not only that, but I saw you talkin' to the builder just now."

He smiles confidently at Kouji.

"Honestly, you handled it pretty damn well."

"Oh stop it, you," Kouji flirts. 

"Heh… what can I say?" Ash snickers. "The point is, lately I've been getting some… feelings…"

"Oh?" Kouji chimes as he perks up. "What kind of feelings?"

"I don't really know," Ash says. "When I first saw Caesar, I got this weird feeling that I needed to protect him at all costs. I felt like I could understand him when he spoke. This is why I stayed close to him while he was around… but…"

Ash wipes a few stray tears from his eyes.

"Aww, hey now…" Kouji coos. "It's okay, maybe he'll come back…?"

"I just… I failed…" Ash sighs as he sits up. "I had one job, and I fucked it all up…"

"Do you need a hug?" Kouji asks hopefully.

"No…" Ash says. "What I need is to know why I even got those feelings in the first place."

Kouji hums, thinking about the possibilities… Imagine this, seeing someone for the first time in your life and immediately thinking "I must protect them at all costs." Sure, that could be applicable if the person was cute…?

"Do you think Caesar is cute?" Kouji asks with almost immediate regret.

"No!" Ash snaps. "... I mean… I don't know, that's kinda the point."

"Maybe it was the fact that he was wounded that gave you the feeling?" Kouji thinks aloud.

"It's deeper than that,' Ash says. "It has to be… it wasn't just like… feeling bad for him or anything, it's a really strong connection I feel, and I hate it. It hurts, and I don't know why."

"You don't hate the feeling," Kouji says. "You hate how you don't know where it comes from, and you hate that it can't be satisfied because Caesar-..."

Kouji stops himself when he sees Ash starting to wipe his eyes again. It really is that deep of a feeling, isn't it? 

Think, Kouji, think! There has to be a way for this to make sense… You see someone for the first time in your life, and…

"Hey wait a minute… What if you know Caesar?"

"What the hell do you mean by that?" Ash questions.

"Maybe you knew him in your past life," Kouji explains. "That could be where the feelings are coming from."

"What makes you think that there's a 'past life anyway?'" Ash challenges. 

"Well, do you have a better theory?" Kouji asks. "As of right now, it only makes sense that there are still some foggy memories hangin' around."

Ash hums thoughtfully, shuffling the leaves around as he ponders.

"Maybe…" he says. "I haven't been here for very long though, so I dunno…"

He trails off as his head turns to face the outside. If he is ever going to continue, Kouji isn't sure. What is he looking at, anyway? There is a look of shock on his face, and as Kouji turns to follow his gaze…

"Well, speak of the devil."

Ash springs from his seat and bounds through the field towards the forest, causing all nearby eyes to turn to him. Cries of confusion, excitement and joy begin to spark across the settlement. 

"CAESAR'S BACK!!!" Maya's voice echoes. 

Kouji jumps to his feet and runs after Ash, catching up just in time to see him embrace Caesar in his arms once again. 

"Don't you ever scare me like that ever again…!" Ash weeps as he holds Caesar close.

Caesar buries his face into Ash's chest, wrapping his arms over his shoulders and around his neck.

"I'm sorry," he whispers. "I… I need to explain myself…"

Ash pauses as he stares down at Caesar, processing the thought. Soon, he realizes that a curious crowd was beginning to approach them.

"Back away!" Ash snaps at them. "Don't crowd him!"

The other settlers scamper away as Ash stands, carrying Caesar in his arms towards his own little shelter. Ash gently places Caesar on a pile of leaves and wraps him in a blanket.

"Why did you leave?" he asks worriedly. "I thought something was gonna kill you!"

Caesar huffs as he settles down.

"I was scared…" he says quietly. "... I was starting to feel sick, so I got up and walked around. Then… my hands ached… and my teeth…"

Caesar whines softly as he buries his face in his hands.

"Please don't hurt me…" he whimpers. "I-I'm… a monster…"

"What's the matter?" Ash asked. "You can't be that bad if you're here. It's okay."

Ash reaches over and gently pets the top of Caesar's head, and a low purring sound is heard. He pauses, watching as Caesar slowly turns his head…

… and gives Ash a very gentle nip on his finger.

He remains still, feeling the uncanny sharpness of the teeth threatening to pierce his skin at the slightest movement. These were not human teeth, these were that of some strange beast. Mercifully, Caesar lets him go, staring shamefully at the ground.

"I didn't know how else to tell you…" he sighs. "I just felt the changes happening while you were sleeping… I thought I was gonna kill you or something… I only came back when I realized it was safe…"

Caesar backs away from him slightly.

"I-I'm sorry I caused so much trouble… I'm s-sorry..."

The small boy sniffles and whines, tears running down his face. Ash returns his hand to Caesar and wipes away his tears.

"It's okay," he says softly. "I'm not mad at you… but I gotta ask, how did this happen?"

"I don't know," Caesar says with a shrug. "... What if the others are afraid of me?"

"Oh no they won't be," Ash chuckles. "If they're cool with Tamako, they'll be cool with you."

Caesar gives him a toothy smile, and in response, Ash does the same. The two of them laugh together for a treasured moment, and when it dies down, only a brief pause follows before Caesar reaches into his pocket for something.

"You're too kind to me," he says. "I must give you this is exchange."

From his pocket, Caesar withdraws an apple. A large, colorful apple. Ash's eyes widen as he stares in awe.

"Where… did you find this??" he asks.

"I came across a bunch of apple trees," Caesar says. "I brought this back as proof. I want to be your scout. I will search across this land for anything that will help us survive and return with goods and directions."

There is a still, silent moment as Caesar looks up at Ash with a trusting gleam in his eyes. Those strange, golden eyes, just staring up at him. They have a warm glow to them, a comforting light that made Ash feel… proud. Gently, Ash pulls Caesar close into a loving embrace. Caesar lets out a deep sigh and settles into his arms, a soft purr forming in his throat again. 

"Just promise me that you'll always come home…" Ash says. "Please…"

"I'm not going to make a promise that I can't keep… but… I will try my best."


	14. Day 14 - September 28th

Finally, August has his own little place to work. Ricardio was kind enough to spend a good amount of time making a bigger structure for August: a seven foot tall, square hut. It even has a decent roof, floor and walls. All there is for a door is a carved opening in the wall facing the pond. Admittedly, the sheer quality of it makes him concerned for Ricardio's wellbeing, but it seems now that the architect is sleeping the rest of the day away, much to August's relief.

Setting his worries aside, August continues with his work, tying up the last string of what will soon be Ash's new coat. The spotty deer pattern looks so nice with the wolf fur collar, and the fur is silky soft. He hopes that Ash will like it, after all, it's fitted to be his size... at least as fitted to him as he could tell by just looking at him. Carefully, he finishes the stitch and hangs the clothing on a sturdy branch hook to admire it. Although he cannot see it, he can tell that Oliver is approaching from behind him just by the sound of his rapid feet. The footsteps come to an abrupt halt.

"Is it because I'm cute?" Oliver asks.

"What?" August says as he turns to face him.

"Do you like me because of how I look?" Oliver rephrases.

"Uhh… that was what started it," August admits. "Like… I know you're cute, and then I just thought your personality was cute too."

"Oh really?" Oliver flirts. "... How cute?"

August blushes and laughs nervously.

"Ah, a lot…" he says. "Umm… like… on a scale of one to ten? Like… a nine."

"A nine?!" Oliver exclaims. "... Holy shit!"

"I guess the way you dress plays a part too," August laughs.

"What do you mean?" Oliver asks innocently.

August pauses, trying to think of a way to word his thoughts about Oliver's thoughts without sounding… insulting.

"Your clothes," he begins. "They're very… young."

"That makes no sense," Oliver scoffs.

"They have an innocent, sweet look to them," August continues.

Oliver raises an eyebrow, unconvinced. Sighing, August spits out the truth.

"You dress like a baby."

Flabbergasted.

"I-I do?!" Oliver yelps in surprise.

"Do you actually believe me?" August asks. "I mean… you're wearing a baby blue striped sweater underneath denim overalls with flower patches all over you. It's adorable."

Oliver stares at August in shock. Afterwards, everything he says is just incomprehensible stuttering gibberish. 

"Hey, relax," August says, silencing him. "It's totally fine. I still love you."

"That's the point…" Oliver mutters.

"Well I'm not explaining it again!" August playfully snaps. "Now come here and lemme squish you."

Oliver squeals as August scoops him up in his arms and nuzzles his face, giving him little bunny kisses.

"Ah! It's too early!" Oliver squeaks. "I dunno how to-!! Eeeeeee!!!"

"Too much in one go?" August asks with genuine concern as he stops nuzzling him. "I mean, if it makes you uncomfortable, I'll stop…"

"No! I mean yes! I mean… no…"

Oliver stares into August's eyes, and for a moment, it actually doesn't feel all too awkward, but he still pulls his gaze away.

"I want it," he says. "I just don't know when…"

August battles the sudden urge to give Oliver a kiss, even on the cheek. He doesn't want to make Oliver uncomfortable in any way, so he gently places him on the floor to avoid it.

"Believe me," Oliver says. "I really do…"

"Don't worry about it," August says softly. "Maybe tonight we can go stargazing? I'm just finishing up these clothes, not much longer to go."

Oliver blushes, remembering the first time he and August were stargazing. 

"I'd love to," Oliver nearly whispers. "But… what about those wild animals out there?"

"Hmm… good point," August hums thoughtfully. "Are you busy right now?'

"Right now??" Oliver repeats. "Umm… No... Why…?"

"Why don't we just hang out right now?" August asks. "You know… away from everyone else?"

"Oh fuck…" Oliver breathes.

"No, not yet," August chuckles. 

"I-I need to go think about stuff…" Oliver blurts out in embarrassment.

August smiles encouragingly.

"You go do whatever it is you do for now," he says. "I'll go deliver these pelts, and later I'll find you when I'm done, okay?"

"Okay…" Oliver whispers. "Um… see ya."

Oliver bolts out of the hut as quickly as he came, leaving August alone once again. He looks back at Ash's coat again, analyzing it. It is among his first, more ambitious work, and quite frankly, he is proud of the wolf fur collar. It is only the underbelly of the wolf, however, the rest of it has been used for the headpiece that Tamako had requested, which now hangs on a hook beside the coat. All it is is the carcass of the wolf with all of its bones removed except for the skull, minus the jaw bone. The two front paws are conjoined, one over the other, and its back legs and tail left to fly behind like a cape with the rest of the body. Cleaning any leftover blood from its maw was difficult, though August didn't put much effort into it, knowing that Tamako will most likely enjoy the effect.

Seeing how the sun was nearing the end of its path, August takes Ash's coat and Tamako's headpiece and carries them outside, searching for their new owners. He can see Kouji and Chet sitting by the pond, quietly conversing with their backs to him. He cannot see Tamako, shockingly enough. Usually she is out around this time hunting for nocturnal wildlife before it awakens. Ash, on the other hand… most likely in the cave. Deciding to check there, August makes his way towards it, listening for any signs of the whereabouts of anyone else. Sure enough, as he approaches, he can hear Marie and Maya talking and laughing from the inside, and as he turns the corner, Ash is actually there with them, carving wooden cups with a knife. August whistles to them, getting their attention.

"Hey, Ash!" he calls. "I've got something for you!"

Ash grunts reluctantly as he stands up from his seat and approaches August, who gives him a friendly smile. 

"Try this on," he says handing the coat to him. "I wanna make sure it fits."

Ash stares at the coat silently for a moment, gently stroking the fur with his thumbs. August can't quite tell exactly what he is thinking, but whatever it is, it doesn't seem positive. It seems… depressed. Regardless, Ash lifts the coat over his head and slips it on, his standard frown gradually forming into a slight smile.

"It feels good," he says. "Thanks."

"Sure thing," August says with a sigh of relief. "And be sure to remove that old shirt of yours soon, it's… getting real beat."

Ash gave August a nod in agreement before turning back to the cave to continue his work. With his gaze lingering on him for a moment, August leaves for the pond, seeking out the huntress. As he walks away, he can hear Maya and Marie complimenting the coat, warming his heart and encouraging him to carry on. He then passes by Kouji and Chet once again, picking up a bit from their conversation.

"To be honest," Kouji begins. "I ain't sure if I should be scared of it or hunt it down. That's not natural at all, there's no way."

"Do you believe in magic perhaps?" Chet asks. "I mean… I can't be sure if there's a God, but this place makes me question that every damn day."

"What God would place us in a world like this?!" Kouji shouts in frustration. "We're hangin' on for dear life down here nearly gettin' mauled by bears 'n' shit and what're they doin' up there, sippin' on champagne 'n' watchin' motherfuckin' cooking shows?!?! Bullshit!"

August has only dragged a little to hear the entirety of Kouji's rather amusing rant, but carries on as soon as he finishes. His just arriving thoughts regarding the conversation were immediately cut off by the nearby sounds of Oliver being pestered by Tamako.

"Please, I beg you!" he pleads. "I'm literally begging that you go away, I can't even…"

August picks up his pace, heading straight for the arguing duo.

"But why?" Tamako asks in a strange combination of innocence and mockery. "I just think it's about time that your boyfriend wove you something that won't attract wolves! Speaking of which…"

Suddenly, Tamako whips around to face August, as if she knew that he was going to be right there.

"You!" she shouts as August freezes in surprise. "You're here! Is it ready?"

Seeing that Tamako has jumped from hostile to friendly in mere seconds, August shows her the pelt.

"OOOOOOOOOO!!!" could perhaps describe the sound she makes as she snatches it. 

August watches as Tamako struggles with getting her hair out of the way for the skull to perch on her head, and when it does…

"It's perfect!" Tamako exclaims with a beaming grin. "Much obliged, August Clarke!"

"Heh, no problem," August says. "I'm glad you like it."

"I must go now," she says, picking her spear up from the ground. "Oh, and you almost stepped on this. You're lucky I stopped you."

Without another word, Tamako skips away into the forest, her wolf pelt flowing behind her gently. Seconds after she is out of earshot, Oliver lets out a sigh of relief.

"Thanks for that," he says. "I'm going insane enough just being out in the wild like this."

"Hey, it's okay," August says reassuringly. "I hear the wilderness is actually calming. Besides, I'm here to help make it all better."

Oliver laughs nervously, holding his hands together.

"Ah, feelings…" he mutters aloud. "Hey… uhhhh… are we gonna do that thing now? … Wait, that sounded wrong… Lemme start over-"

"I know what you mean," August chuckles. "Yes, we can do that whenever you're ready."

"Oh my god," Oliver sighs. "Don't… fucking say it like that…"

August grabs Oliver's hand and begins pulling him along.

"Come on, you virgin," he says.

\---

Tamako has never actually used any kind of weapon upon herself, not even for her hair… at least, as far as she can remember… In any case, she figures that now is the time to change that. Sitting upon a large rock, with an innocent, almost reluctant looking face, she stares at the blade in her hands. Even though it is merely her hair that she is cutting, it still feels like such an intimidating commitment. What will the others think if her hair is short? What if it comes out looking terrible? What if-?

WAIT.

WHO AM I???

I AM BETTER THAN THIS.

I REMEMBER WHO I AM!!!

…

Ah, no I don't. Not really. Don't get your hopes up, the past is still unknown. All I know is that I am above the mere picky opinions of others. My hair shall fall the way I wish.

Without a second thought, Tamako grabs her long ponytail and raises the knife, slashing down upon it as close to her skin as possible without even so much as grazing it. It feels like… a curse has been lifted. A refreshing feeling as nothing holds her down. She stares at the disembodied locks in her hands, pondering… Would these be of any use to anyone? With hopes to assist the others, she pockets the hair safely and stands up from the rock, feeling this new flow to her head. She dons the wolf pelt, which no longer battles for dominance with her once lengthy hair. She takes her spear that was leaning up against a tree. It is time to feed everyone once again…

But now, it's a lot more fun.

Slinking around in the foliage, Tamako sniffs the ground, playfully pretending to be a wolf. Although she is currently working, she knows that despite the grim nature of hunting, there is no rule that says that she can't have fun while doing it. Hell, even the hunting itself is fun to her, the chase for her prey and the satisfaction of when she kills it. There is only one thing missing, and that is the sensation of knowing that you're not at the top of the food chain. Tamako knows that she is the top predator, no doubt in her mind about that… yet…

A twig snaps, she freezes, her breath grows still, and her eyes remain locked in one place. She knows that something is nearby… but this thing she can sense, it has an aura that is as strong as her own. She can see it, standing with its back to the setting sun, a beaming pair of yellow eyes staring back at the huntress and a spear in hand. She can feel its gaze stabbing into her, barking at her instincts to prepare for a fight. Hunkering down, she gathers her strength into a defensive stand, a low growl gradually building up in her chest. She leers at the thing right back into its eyes, their stares battling silently for dominance. The conflict has been established. 

Suddenly a piercing screech erupts from her opponent, and it charges at Tamako with thundering footsteps. In a graceful bound, she leaps out of the way and pounces towards its back, only for it to whirl around and meet their spears together. The sunlight blinds them both, their visions blur, and for a brief moment, they both stumble to the ground. A gust blows through the forest, as if it were intently watching their battle, just waiting for one of them to be struck dead. Tamako’s heart pounds, realizing that she’s finally met a challenging opponent. If this thing kills her, the settlers will have lost a reliable member… She has to win this fight. They both pull back before going in for another blow, snarling and hissing at each other. That’s when it spoke…

“SAVAGE!!!” it yells.

Tamako pauses, realizing that she is either fighting a talking beast or an actual human, but just before she can get a good look, her foe kicks up dirt in her eyes, stinging them and stunning her. A forceful blow to her chest flings her to the ground, knocking the wind out of her. Blindly fumbling, she tries to push herself up again, but weakness overcomes her as the enemy holds her down with their foot, pressing her into the cold ground. For the first time in the life she can remember, Tamako actually feels… scared. Horrified, for that matter. She wasn’t ready to feel the pain of death, especially not like this. Not in this pathetic defeat. Her friends are counting on her… or at least… they were… What if this person kills them too…? The thought stabs at her with despair as she fails to squirm free from her opponent, but to no avail. Before it has even finished building up in her raspy throat, Tamako lets out a wailing cry of defeat and sadness, begging for mercy as her tears wash the dirt from her eyes. She blinks, trying to give her killer one last death stare… when…

“Ohhhh my gosh!!! I’m so sorry!!!”

The pressure from Tamako’s side is removed as her opponent steps off of her, and after wiping her eyes with her sleeve, she finally gets a good look at them. They are a young, pale and freckled woman cloaked with a brown fur dress. Her hair is a fiery orange, her eyes colored a gleaming mustard, which are shielded by a thin pair of glasses. Tied around her neck is a red scarf, the knot resting over her chest, and atop her head, a pretty sun hat with a red flower perched on the side. She watches Tamako closely with a worried expression as she holds out a hand to her.

“Are ye okay?” she asks. “I thought ye were some lycanthrope goin’ after my friend, but yer just… a person!”

Tamako grunts in pain as the stranger helps her stand up again. Much to her relief, she is at equal to height to this woman rather than shorter as she would’ve hated to be. It makes her feel a bit more equal to her despite her loss in battle.

“Who are you?” Tamako asks demandingly.

“Not even gonna say ‘thank you’ are ye?” the stranger huffs. “Very well then…”

Tamako doesn’t even argue.

“The name’s Victoria Hester,” says the stranger in a somewhat more friendly tone. “... Kami, darlin’, it’s okay to come out now! They’re not gonna hurt ye.”

From behind a sturdy tree, another stranger peers around and steps out hesitantly. She is tall, thin and elegant with blushed, cream colored skin and long, raven black hair which is mostly held off of her face with a lavender blue hairband with a bright red flower perched on top. Her eyes are a golden honey with an innocent, charming gaze that stares at Tamako curiously, which actually catch her attention. She is dressed in a light greyish fur with several pockets and patches and a pair of dark pants held up with a leather belt. She too wears a scarf, only this one looks more ragged and torn, as if it used to be a different article of clothing, a gentle, stoney teal cloth dotted with white flower patches. In her hand, she carries a briefcase, which was… strange, to say the least. 

“She don’t speak English very good,” Victoria sighs as Kami approaches them. “Poor lass was so scared when I found her…”

“Hello,” Kami says, looking at Tamako. “Uh… Nihongo hanasemasu ka…?”

“Oh!” Tamako exclaims. “Hai! Nihonjindesu!”  
Kami beams and giggles with joy, smiling at Tamako.

“Saigo ni!” she says. “Still learning English…”

“Ah ye can understand her!” Victoria laughs. “Finally, we have a translator… Oh, sorry about that, what is your name?”

“I am Tamako Fujiwara,” Tamako says. “I live… er… hmm…”

Tamako isn’t sure if she should trust them just yet…

“Oh, we come from… well, not here,” Victoria explains. “There was a boat, and it crashed here-”

“A boat?!” Tamako repeats in shock. “You mean… there’s an outside world???”

“Er, I think,” Victoria says. “We were-”

“DO YOU REMEMBER YOUR PAST LIVES???”

After overcoming the shock of Tamako's sudden rise in volume, Victoria and Kami exchange glances.

“No…” Kami says. “Same question…”

“Yer not the first to ask us that,” Victoria speaks for Kami. “Some lad out on the boat asked us before we escaped. He didn’t make it off like we did… It crashed on land and our captors chased him when he tried to book it. When they came back to camp, they said he was killed by a pack of wolves. Poor fella…”

Victoria shakes away her mourning.

“We took that opportunity to get away,” she continues. “I think… maybe he sacrificed himself for us.”

Tamako looks at them both, her eyes slowly going back and forth between them… Perhaps Chet or Maya would know something about this? Well, if they aren’t telling the truth, then she may not be able to hold them off again… In any case, this is something that she can’t just shrug off. It has to be regarded. Taking a deep breath, she makes her decision.

“Come with me,” she says with a gesture. “You have good information.”

“Where?” Kami asks as she begins to follow.

“My home,” Tamako answers with a welcoming smile. “My friends would like to meet you.”

The girls begin their walk back to the settlement, listening closely for the sounds of life. Tamako knows that she will have to return to the forest later to actually kill something for food, for as of right now, there is no need for cannibalism.

“Oh!” Victoria chimes in. “Ye must be part of the settlement that boy was talking about!"

"Pardon?" Tamako asks looking back at her.

"Someone told us about a settlement 'round here," Victoria recalls. "Oh… he said his name… what was it now…?"

"Caesar," Kami says.

"Ah! Yes! Caesar! Thank ye, Kami," Victoria chuckles. "Caesar. Ye know him?"

Tamako nods. 

"He is our scout," she informs them. "He promised to bring others back to us."

"Ohhh I see," Victoria hums. 

Nothing is said after that. They continue their walk in silence. Eventually, the trees begin to clear, and the settlement came into view. 

"We are here," Tamako says. "The leader is this way."

Victoria and Kami look around, admiring the area. They seem to view it as practically luxurious, which is saddening to think about, but also relieving, as Tamako knows that they will be able to easily satisfy them. Right now, the stars are beginning to show, and a soft, fiery light glows in front of the cave as the scent of cooking meat grows stronger. As they draw closer, they can see a small fire set up just outside the cave entrance, surrounded by a few settlers. Marie is there, obviously, along with Maya, Hunter, Kouji, Chet and Ash. Kouji is the first to notice their arrival.

"Oh my god," he says. "Just when I thought it was over…"

Everyone turns to look at Tamako and her new friends.

"Oh hello!" Marie greets. "Welcome to… well… our home!"

"Should we name this place?" Hunter asks. "I mean the population just keeps growing. We're almost a town at this rate."

"Maybe someday," Maya says. "Right now, we gotta focus on something a bit more important, eh?"

"Please, sit," Maya offers. 

The three girls settle down beside the fire, with Victoria and Kami sitting in between Tamako and Chet.

"We should probably explain ourselves," Victoria begins. "I'm Victoria, and this is my friend Kami."

"It's very nice to meet you two," Marie says. "I'm Marie, I take care of the meals around here. At your service!"

"Maya Canzanilla, gatherer and… apparently, leader."

"I'm Hunter, not the hunter. I get wood and stuff."

"Ash, craftsman."

"Kouji Ito. Just call me Kouji. If you get hurt, yell as loudly as you can and I'll be there, cuz I'm the medic!"

"Uhh… I'm Chet Perez, I guess I'm the journalist cuz that's all I'm good for… wait, where's August and Oliver?"

"Where do you think they are?" Hunter laughs. "They're out fucking making out again."

"There are so many better ways you could've structured that sentence to not scare me half to death," Chet scolds.

"I don't even think they've kissed once," Maya scoffs. "Oliver is too chicken."

"I actually have something I wish to talk about," Tamako interrupts. "Victoria knows what I mean."

"Oh, ye mean the boat?" Victoria asks.

All eyes turn to her.

"Victoria," Marie says. "Please… tell us all you remember."

"Hm, I see…" she begins. "It happened about a week ago, I woke up on this beach, all wet, with no memory of anything except… er..."

"Your name," Maya encourages.

"... Yes…" Victoria mutters with her eyes lingering on Maya. "I had no idea how I got there or anything. I was surrounded by a bunch of big ol' louts goin' on about some big storm that had hit while sailin' which explained the bits of boat lyin' about. Said they thought for sure I was a dead bitch. They started bossin' me and a bunch of other kids that were as clueless as I was around and yakkin' on and on to each other about stupid shite… I knew I had to get out of there, and I wanted to save everyone there too..."

Victoria stares into the fire…

"... but I couldn't."

"What happened?" Chet asks. "Did they kill the others perhaps?"

"They did," Victoria growls. "In many ways too: Starved em, beat em, overworked em… left em to die…"

She takes a deep breath, tapping her fingers upon her knee.

"You don't have to tell us the rest if you don't want to," Marie says softly.

"I have to," Victoria snaps. "Ye all need my help. I have skills and information that could save ye from whatever hell ye found yerselves in."

Kami gives Victoria a gentle pat on the back.

"Anyway…" Victoria says. "I guess a quick way to end this tale is that Kami and I managed to escape those brutes after a few days, and while we were roamin' around, we stumbled upon this lad named Caesar."

"Really?" Ash pipes in. "When did you see him?"

"This morning," Victoria answers.

Ash smiles and lets out a sigh of relief.

"He told us about a settlement nearby," Victoria continues. "Gave us directions and all. After some walkin' we ran into Tamako, mistook her for a werewolf, and then… well, here I am."

"Wait a minute," Kouji says. "So… those big dudes are still here???"

"Unless they haven't been eaten first, then yes," Victoria says solemnly.

"They better not lay a fuckin' finger on Caesar," Ash snarls. "So help me god…"

"Caesar will be fine, Ash," Maya reassures him. "He's got those pointy teeth now! He'll just bite em."

Ash rolls his eyes.

"If they do stumble upon us," Hunter chimes in. "We should prepare our defenses. I'll talk to Ricardio about making some fences maybe."

"Expect ranged weapons soon," Ash says menacingly. "Those fuckers won't stand a chance against a crossbow."

"You know how to make a crossbow?" Chet asks.

…

…

…

"No, I don't."

"We're screwed!" Kouji cries.

"Hey hey hey, guys, chill," Maya orders. "We're gonna be fine. After all, Victoria said that they've been here a few days, so chances are, they've already set up their territory for now."

"I agree," Marie says. "Although I still do believe that it's a good idea to make sure that everyone is going to be protected."

"How many were there?" Tamako asks Victoria.

"Hm… four? Five?" she answers. "Not too many…"

"Nobody should journey far…" Tamako says with a grim expression. "The next time Caesar returns, he stays."

Everyone goes dead silent. Nobody has any objections, no statements to make, just silent agreement. 

"... Ah, I shouldn't let this burn," Marie says as she stands to remove the meat from the spit. "I just wish August, Oliver and Ricardio were here… Aren't they hungry?'

Hunter chuckles to himself, nearly killing the mood.

"They'll be back," Maya says. "Hunter, go wake up Ricky, will ya? He especially needs to eat, that skinny fella."

Chet sighs as he mindlessly watches Hunter stand up and leave. This settlement is right here, not far from that of the brutes Victoria mentioned… but what are these puzzle pieces? Where did that boat come from? How did Victoria end up here with the same effects? Did the others remember their past lives? He has so many questions, but he can't ask them now; he shouldn't. Victoria and Kami have had it far too rough, they need to rest for now. 

Maybe another day…


	15. Day 15 - September 29th

"If a tree falls and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?"

"Uh, yeah? Obviously? The same thing happens with everything, so why not sound?"

"Ah, well, timber."

"SHIT!!!"

Hunter laughs as Kouji jumps out of the way of a tall, skinny tree falling where he stood.

"What the fuck, bro?!" Kouji yells. "You could've killed me!"

"I know you're pretty dumb," Hunter begins. "But your skull isn't that thin."

"Oh, haha, very funny," Kouji growls. "If you're gonna dick around with someone, don't let it be the medic, or they just might not patch your scratch."

"Or the hunter,' Hunter adds.

Kouji looks at him, confused.

"You-... wait… Wait! … You mean Tamako, right??"

"Both me and her," Hunter chuckles. "I'm a big dude with an axe."

"Dammit, change your name," Kouji sighs. "You're confusing people."

"Only you so far," Hunter says. "And uh… maybe Maya? I can't remember."

"What would you change your name to if you could?" Kouji asks.

"I dunno," Hunter says. "I've always liked the name Russell though. Maybe that? Russell Rosenhall… that has a good ring to it."

"Middle name?"

"Norman." Hunter answers reluctantly.

"Russell Norman Rosenhall," Kouji repeats. "That sounds nice…"

"What about you?" Hunter asks. "What would you change your name to?"

"Oh, well…" Kouji begins hesitantly. "I actually chose the name Kouji."

"Oh really?" Hunter says looking up. "What was it before?"

"I'd rather not say…" Kouji mutters as he sits down on a tree stump. "It's not important. I kinda wanna forget it."

"Ah, I get it," Hunter says reassuringly. "Does anyone else know?"

"You know what? Probably," Kouji huffs with a hint of pessimism. "I don't think I pass well…"

"Well, you passed with me," Hunter says. "I had no idea until now, I just assumed your voice was a little brighter than most dudes."

Kouji says nothing, staring at the ground, falling deep into thought. It is clear that Hunter is treading on dangerous ground here, and saying something that he may not see as all that bad just might sadden and discourage Kouji, which he didn't want… What if they meet someone who has Kouji's deadname, would that upset him?

…

Wait...

"... Wait a minute…" Hunter ponders aloud. "You said you wanted to forget your deadname, right?"

"Yeah, I guess," Kouji responds listlessly."

"How come you didn't forget it?" Hunter asks.

Kouji looks at Hunter like he's an idiot.

"Uh, I can't just forget what I've been called for the past like… fourteen years," he growls.

"No no no," Hunter says rather patiently. "I mean when you came to the island. We forget everything about ourselves except our names. Why did the deadname come with you?"

Kouji blinks, his questioning expression fading away as quickly as it came, changing to a face of curiosity and confusion.

"I dunno," he says with a hint of a brighter clarity in his voice. "Probably because it's a name I used to have…?"

Hunter drops his axe to the ground, his mouth agape.

"Holy shit! Wait!" he exclaims as he runs up to Kouji and kneels beside him. "What did they say to you?? Who called you that name???"

Kouji flinches… If he is trying to remember or forget, Hunter can't be sure, but whatever it is, there is surely a struggle.

"I remember a voice…" Kouji mutters. "I hear it calling my name…"

"About what?" 

"Just calling me."

"What's their tone?"

"Nothing in particular."

Hunter lets out a deep sigh as he sits beside Kouji on the ground. They were so close to getting an answer… at least, a hint. Perhaps they do have a hint… He himself couldn't remember anyone calling his name, not a voice at all...

"I will say though," Kouji says breaking the silence. "I'm pretty proud of that rhyme I did."

"'Patch your scratch?'" Hunter asks.

"Yes," Kouji confirms with a warm smile. "'Patch your scratch.'"

\---

“Okay, that’s enough work for now,” Ricardio thinks aloud. “It’s time for a break.”

The news of the new arrivals had only reached Ricardio this morning; Victoria and Kami. He can’t remember their last names, nor does he even know exactly what they look like, but he was tasked with creating more shelters for them anyway, among a few other things like fences. It is becoming concerning how many people have joined the settlement, and who knows how many more will in the future. Hopefully, they will be some kind of architect like Ricardio, for the mere thought of it makes him lie down on the ground in exhaustion. He closes his eyes, listening to the sound of the birds chirping and the gentle wind blowing through the trees above him. He has spent much time alone as of late, for he has been working without an assistant. His usual helpers were busy tending to their own chores; poor Chet has a lot to write down with the news of a foriegn ship arriving at the shore of the island, which must have sparked a lot of new ideas and philosophy regarding the existence of everyone. Whatever it is, Ricardio doesn’t really have any interest in thinking about it for too long. It frightens him…

“Hello?”

Ricardio jolts awake from his nap, looking up at the source of the sound. It is one of the newcomers, a tall girl with long black hair. She jumps a little as well, startled by Ricardio’s sudden movement.

“Oh…” Ricardio says as he hastily stands up. “Hi…! I-I was just resting, no worries.”

Kami stares at Ricardio as he brushes the dirt off of his clothes. She has a look of what appears to be confusion, perhaps she’s thinking about what to do next…

“Hello,” she says again. “My name is Kami Kanako.”

Kami holds out her hand to Ricardio, who hesitantly shakes it.

“I-I’m Ricardio... Montague,” he says. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Kami…”

They both withdraw, and Kami pauses, thinking again…

“Ah,” she sighs. “Still learning English…”

“Oh,” Ricardio mutters as he realizes how horrified he is.

It is getting awkward, the silence between them. Ricardio has no idea how to communicate with her. What if there’s a misunderstanding? What if he says something wrong? What if he can’t express what he’s trying to say? He already struggles with that… Fortunately, the day is saved when Kami looks over at the shelter that Ricardio was working on.

“Yours?” she asks, pointing at it.

“Uh… I made it,” he answers hesitantly. “But it’s for you.”

Kami looks at him, making it clear that she has absolutely no idea what he just said.

“Yours,” Ricardio says as he points at her and then back at the shelter. “It’s for you.”

Kami pauses again, looking back and forth between Ricardio and the shelter. After a moment of pondering, she walks over to it and ducks inside, sitting down on the blanketed ground.

“Yeah!” Ricardio exclaims to give approval. “That’s it!”

Kami peeks out and smiles at him.

“Thank you,” she says. 

Ricardio smiles back, his hands mindlessly fidgeting with the fabric of his shirt. Kami leaves the shelter and approaches him once again, only to walk past him.

"Goodbye," she says with a friendly wave.

"Ah, farewell!" Ricardio calls as she leaves.

Letting out a deep sigh, Ricardio watches as she disappears into the forest, feeling the weight of anxiety lift from his shoulders…

...

"Scored on that one ye did!!!"

Ricardio yelps as he jumps away from the person who was standing next to him. It was the other newcomer, Victoria, standing proudly and laughing.

"Scared ye?" she asks. "It's not unusual for me to do that."

"Quite frankly, I'm scared of everything," Ricardio huffs. "I'm trying to find some peace and quiet."

"Well, sorry about that," Victoria sasses. "I'm just happy that Kami's getting along with you lot so good!"

Ricardio chuckles nervously, not really saying anything.

"Don't be shy now," Victoria says with an encouraging pat on his shoulder. "You're a damn good lad. Say, Kami's into some kind of engineering stuff, pulley systems and whatnot, maybe she could help ye with yer work?"

"Perhaps…" Ricardio mutters. "I've been in need of assistance as of late…"

"Yer a tough one, I know it," Victoria says with a smile. "I can tell just by lookin' at ya! Yer Ricardio, right? I've heard some good stuff about ye."

"Yes, that is me," says Ricardio humbly. "I assume you're Miss Victoria?"

"Just Victoria is fine," Victoria chuckles.

"Ah, I see," Ricardio hums. "Er… what were the 'good things' that were said about me…? I mean, I'm not one to boast, I just-"

"I get it, I get it, boy," Victoria laughs. "It's okay to want a compliment every now and then, aye?"

Ricardio patiently awaits the answers.

"I heard someone talkin' about how he likes yer work," Victoria begins. "I don't remember their names, er… tall, grumpy lookin' fella with a deer skin…"

"That would be Ash," Ricardio says. "I'm surprised to have been given a compliment from him."

"Ohhh he's a feisty one I hear," Victoria laughs. "He's funny though, keeps talkin' about Caesar and some sharp teeth…"

"I hear Caesar has developed some kind of… adaptation to his body," Ricardio explains. 'Sharpened teeth, fingernails… and apparently the ability to purr."

"That's fockin' weird," Victoria says. "How the hell did that happen?"

"It's a mystery," Ricardio sighs. "However, Chet is looking into it. He's currently awaiting Caesar's return so that he may perform a closer examination."

"That is also fockin' weird," Victoria says with a shiver. "Oh, and one more compliment; someone called ye handsome."

Ricardio practically double-takes, his feet tapping excitedly as a big smile took over his face.

"Really?!" he exclaims. "Someone thinks I'm handsome?!"

"Indeedy!" Victoria says with a smirk. "Can ye guess?"

Ricardio hums to himself, trying to think of who could possibly say such a thing about him…

"Ummm… Maya?"

"Nope."

"August?"

"Nah."

"Oliver?" 

"No."

"Chet?"

"Not quite."

"Marie?"

"Nay!"

"Kouji?"

"Ye'd think!"

"Hunter?"

"HAH! No."

"Tamako?"

"Absolutely not."

"You?"

"You wish."

"... Ash?"

"No way."

"... Caesar?"

"Haven't seen 'im."

"I can't think of anyone else!" Ricardio growls in frustration. 

"Is it not obvious, boy?" Victoria says. "You forgot one person!"

"... You mean Kami???"

"Aye! Bingo!" Victoria laughs. "It sure was her!"

"WHAT?!" Ricardio exclaims in shock. "B-But… I just met her only now!"

"True," Victoria says. "But she saw ye first, walked past ye while ye were snoozin'! She told it to Tamako, who translated it over to me."

"How can you be sure that Tamako wasn't bluffing?" Ricardio questions. "I mean… the statement is outrageously unlikely."

"What do ye mean by that?" Victoria asks. "Ye look fine! Have ye looked at your reflection at all?"

"You'd be surprised," Ricardio growls. "I couldn’t imagine my looks being referred to in such a way…”

“Better to be humble than a narcissist,” Victoria says with an encouraging smile. “Say, let’s get some lunch and relax a bit. Ye like fish?”

Ricardio’s smile returns once again, but this time, it’s not afraid, no fear is shown. It is happy, finally.

“That sounds… good.”

\---

Day 15

There's a lot on my mind right now. I still can't stop thinking about the boat Victoria mentioned. It's just solid evidence that, wherever we are, there is somewhere distant from here. Memories of some distant lands have been trying to form, I know of a place called England… I think it was my home. 

Another thing: Ever since Ash reported to me about Caesar's strange condition, I've been checking up on the others to see if they've adapted any similar features. I haven't seen anything notable, except maybe Tamako… but she's Tamako, so who knows what I'm seeing. I know that she woke up for the first time around the same time I did, so not much could've happened to her that I haven't seen, right? All I know is that Caesar wandered off for a long time and came back with these features. Maybe that's the answer I'm looking for? Does a lack of human contact cause the wilderness to consume them? Were the animals around us once human??? I need to look more into this when Caesar returns… if he returns… Maybe someday I should wander to see what I find. Maybe I'll turn into an animal. I'd probably be a squirrel.

I've noticed that the leaves are beginning to change color. It must be autumn soon. I brought this up to Marie, cuz we both know well that if autumn is on its way, then that means that winter won't be far off afterwards. It's sad, really, Oliver's crops are surely growing, but what if they don't make it in time? I believe he spends the rest of his time helping August with making clothes, which would explain the rather speedy production in that department as of late.

Anyways, Marie, Maya and I have been talking about what we should do to prepare for winter. I don't know why they involved me, I never really considered myself as… part of them? Part of their leadership? I dunno. At least I know what's going on. Maya suggested to have Victoria and Tamako hunt more. Oh, did I mention that Victoria is our fisherwoman? Is that a word? I dunno, but anyone who reads this will know what I mean. Marie actually said that we should capture animals and breed them to keep the population up so that we don't kill off everything… The thought kinda fucks me up. I mean, we'd basically be starting a farm at that rate, and I really hope that, if we pull this off, that I am NOT in charge of breeding. That's not something I'm ready for, and I doubt I will ever be. Yikes. Just… yikes. Whatever happens, hopefully we will survive through it. Our biggest concern is water, shelter and food.

Water, shelter and food. In that order.

I still can't tell if all of those strange events I mentioned earlier are gonna be in our favor or against us. I'm scared. I admit that. I'll try my best to keep track of everything I can and figure out these mysteries. I wish I had a real assistant to help me write. Am I running out of paper? Who's going to read all of this? Whatever. History is history. Even if we die, I want people to know our story, so that they can pick up where we left off and make a brighter future for the next generations. My life might as well be dedicated to that if I have nothing better to do.

Chet Perez


	16. Day 16 - September 30th

For some reason, this morning feels… safe. The birds are chatty, the settlers are all working together and laughing at each other's jokes… it just feels as if every little thing is going to be alright. The sun shines warmly on Maya's face as she walks to the pond with her basket, watching as Victoria and Tamako catch fish together.

"That's it, that's it!" Victoria says encouragingly. "And… pull!"

Together, Tamako and Victoria yank the fish net, pulling dozens of fish to shore. The two of them laugh gleefully at their catch, jumping up and down with big smiles on their faces. 

"Hey there, ladies!" Maya greets as she approaches them. "Got a good catch I see?"

"Very much so!" says Victoria. "I wish they were as big as the ones by the coast, but it's better than nothin'."

"You should take us to the coast someday!" Tamako says as she holds the net closed.

"Ah, I would," Victoria stammers nervously. "But… the pirates are most likely still there…"

"Oh please, I bet we could take them on together," Maya laughs. "Tamako and I took on a bear for Christ's sake! She's one of the toughest gals I know.'

Tamako giggles uneasily, averting her eyes to the squirming fish. 

"We'll go there as an armed party," Maya plots. "You, Tamako, Hunter and I… well, if Hunter agrees to it, that is. Maybe Ash too? Whatever it is, call it a sneak attack, unless they're willing to negotiate-"

"Er, I appreciate it," Victoria interrupts. "... but we better get going. We'll talk about it later, okay?"

"Oh sure!" Maya says cheerfully. "See you later!"

"Toodles!" says Tamako as she hastily rushes towards the cave with Victoria.

Maya blinks as she watches them run off. Did she hit a soft spot? Victoria knows those pirates better than her… maybe they're far worse than she imagined…? She shakes the thought away, trying to refocus onto her current task: finding Marie. She wasn't in the cave when Maya woke up, but there was food on the table for her…

At least, Maya thinks it was for her.

Carrying on, Maya heads into the forest; she might as well do her job while searching for Marie. The voices of her friends grew softer as she went further into the trees, reminding her of that one time not too long ago when she walked the same path alone, only to find a shy Ricardio looking for a home. She thinks about it as she roams and collects berries and pinecones, those small things that make everyone so happy… it just goes to show how little they have when they're all alone. How long had Ricardio been out there, lost and afraid? How did he survive?

"Same as you, idiot!" Maya chuckles to herself.

Regardless, Maya can recall how she didn't think even she would survive when she first woke up here. It feels as if Marie has truly saved her, that she probably wouldn't be alive without her. She also keeps Maya in check, making sure the clumsy girl doesn't get hurt while she recklessly runs through the woods. She's learned to tread lightly, watch for the roots hiding beneath the dirt and leaves. Perhaps life isn't that bad after all. It could be a lot better, but… what can you do? She's already doing her best. They all are. Life is a lot easier on your heart when all you can hear are the sounds of nature. It was what the ancestors heard back in their time. Somehow, Maya can recall the urban soundtrack of yelling, construction, car horns, gunshots, police sirens… but now, all that's left is the birds in the sky, the wind in the trees, the water in the ground, and the gentle crunching of bones beneath her feet as she walks-

"What the fuck?"

Maya looks down at the ground to see the tiny bones of god knows what beneath her feet. Despite her fear and disgust, she kneels down to inspect them. She gingerly lifts them from the ground, turning them over in her hands. 

"Hollow…" she mutters.

Surely, they must be the bones of a few small birds. It isn't anything unexpected from the wild woods; there are many wild predators running about, and the humans are part of them. Regardless, Maya thinks of it as an interesting find, and puts a few of the bones in her pocket. She wonders, is the hunter of this bird still nearby? What animal was it? 

"Mrrr?"

Her heart skipping a beat, Maya's head snaps up, looking around for the source of the sound. It had sounded like it was in front of her...

"Hello?" she calls quietly.

"Mrah!" a voice replies.

That's when it appeared.

From behind a tree, a creature emerges, trotting towards her on four, fluffy and clawed feet. It wears a ragged shirt with a white fur collar, dark blue hair and all too familiar gleaming yellow eyes. It sits in front of her, its pointed ears twitching as it drops a small dead chickadee to the ground from its toothy mouth.

It's the bird killer.

Maya falls back, her eyes widening. She hasn't known him for very long, but she knew he was a timid one… yet here he is, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed… literally. She backs away from him, not knowing if he is hostile or not...

"C-Caesar…???" Maya stammers.

Caesar tilts his head, a concerned look on his face as he stares at her. 

"Maya?" he mewls.

"What the fuck happened to you???" Maya exclaims as she sits back up. "Y-You… you're a lynx! Thing! What!?"

Caesar shrugs, looking down at the dead bird and nudging it with his paw. Maya stares at him, blinking away her shock. 

"I've gotta take you home…" she says as she stands. "Chet and Ash need to see this!"

"Why?" Caesar asks looking up at her.

"Because this is a scientific discovery!" Maya nearly shouts. "M-Maybe it's even magical! … Does magic apply to science…? I-I dunno, but still, this is so cool! Let's go, now!"

As Maya turns to run back towards the settlement, Caesar sighs and picks up his chickadee prize with his mouth, cantering to catch up with her. When they reach the border, Maya starts calling out for Ash and Chet, and all eyes turn to her and Caesar. He recognizes the two girls he had sent here a few days ago, both of whom are working with someone else when they spot him. He doesn't have time to chat though, as Maya has found Chet and Ash by the cave entrance.

"Guys, look at Caesar!" she says as she stops in front of them.

Caesar trots up to Ash and drops the chickadee at his feet. Chet takes a step back as Ash looks down at Caesar.

"Oh gross!" he exclaims. "Why did you do that?!"

Caesar shrugs.

"It's a gift."

The four of them look over to see Marie approaching them from the forest, carrying a bunch of sticks in her arms.

"Oh there you are!" Maya laughs. "I've been looking for you!"

"I was just getting firewood," Marie says. "Anyway, it's a gift for you, Ash."

Caesar jumps up on his hind legs and gives Ash a hug, purring loudly. Ash looks embarrassed as Chet begins taking notes.

"Er… okay…" Ash says as he lifts up Caesar. "What does that mean anyway?"

"It just means he likes you," Marie says.

Maya bursts out laughing as Ash puts Caesar back down on the ground. 

"I didn't mean it like that," Marie sighs. 

"It's fascinating regardless!" cheers Chet. "I've been waiting for Caesar to return so that I could study him more."

"Excuse me? Why does it matter?" Ash challenges.

"Cuz what if it happens to us?!" Chet snaps. "It's all a mystery… I have some notes back at my house."

"You have a house?" Ash says with disbelief. 

"Okay, house is a bit of a stretch," Chet admits. "Come on, I'll show you."

"Good luck, you guys!" Marie says as she drags Maya into the cave. "And you're helping me remake my breakfast you ate, missy."

Chet chuckles nervously as he turns to lead Ash and Caesar to his home. Oddly enough, nobody interrupts their walk to a small hut made of wood, mud and leaves. The front door's opening is rather small, enough to be covered by a deer pelt. It is just a tiny bit taller than Chet himself, who is barely past five feet tall. The base of the hut is surrounded by large rocks, and it seems that someone has left a flower by the left side closest to the door, most likely the builders themselves.

"So this is why Ricardio was digging up the pond mud the other day," Ash says. "I never thought he'd be the type of guy that would tolerate getting dirty."

"Think before you speak," Chet huffs. "Anyway, yes, this is the place Ricky and Kami built for me! Come on in."

Chet pushes aside the pelt and slips into the hut, followed by Caesar.

"OOH! Take that outside right now!" Chet shouts from the inside.

Immediately afterwards, Caesar trots back out, and Ash notices him carrying the dead chickadee in his mouth again. This time, he places it by the flower on the rocks. It seems that the gift pile has been established.

"You're a funny one," Ash chuckles as he smiles at Caesar.

Caesar makes a happy humming sound in thanks as he returns to the hut, closely followed by Ash, who has to duck down to enter. Looking up once again, he is quite surprised by the strange beauty of the interior. There were small shelves on the walls covered with different plants and pieces of paper and books, and a small bed of leaves in one corner with Chet's old Chet's old jacket being used as a blanket. Standing up, Ash hits his head on a dangling decoration of a dried plant.

"You're better off sitting down on the floor," Chet comments.

"So I see Ricardio and Kami have been busy," Ash says as he observes the place.

"Once again, watch your fucking mouth," Chet growls. 

Ash snickers to himself as he settles down on the floor beside Caesar, watching as Chet retrieves some books from a shelf. Caesar yawns and lies down, resting his head between his paws. Ash looks down at him, pondering his well being. Gently, he rests his hand on his head, stroking and soothing him. Caesar begins to purr, stretching his arms and legs as he settles down. 

"Ah, here it is!"

Awakening from his distraction, Ash looks up to see Chet holding an open book, flipping through the pages as he sits down in front of them.

"So here we are," Chet begins. "We are witnessing a human to animal transformation right before our eyes. A gradual one, but still, it's pretty drastic. So far, I speculate that the condition has some sort of relevance to the land we live on, specifically the areas more distant from the settlement. That, of course, was my theory, but now I have the actual person experiencing the transformation to say the truth!"

"Yikes," Ash says. "Since when did you start talking like that?"

"You don't get out much, do you Ash?" Chet comments. "Anyway, Caesar, care to explain?"

"Myah," sighs Caesar. "All I know is that one night I started growing claws and pointy teeth, so I left the settlement because… I thought I was gonna lose control of my body."

Ash and Chet look at each other with worried expressions.

"Surely, there must be something more to that," Chet says.

"Perhaps," says Caesar. "And don't call me 'Shirley.'"

Chet sighs, staring down at his notes… This can't be a hopeless case. There has to be something that happened to Caesar that gave him this condition. The only way he can think of that not being the case was if Caesar was doomed to be like that from the moment he woke up…

"Hold on," Chet begins. "Caesar, could you please tell us everything you remember?"

"Like from the day he woke up?" Ash asks. "How long ago was that?"

"At least six days," Chet answers.

"It's only been six days?!" Ash exclaims. "It feels like it's been forever… I feel like I've known Caesar all my life."

"Well, technically, you have," Chet says. "You've been around for at least nine days. If our lives begin when we wake up, there are only three days that you didn't know Caesar."

"...But…"

Ash bites his lip, staring at the ground…

"... I felt that connection since I saw him…"

Chet watches as Ash almost suddenly becomes… someone completely different. The stern stare is gone, replaced by a gentle gaze of teary eyes, the broad shoulders slouching as his lips tremble ever so slightly. Caesar looks up at him with great worry, tilting his head and nudging his arm. Sniffling, Ash reaches over and gingerly lifts him into a warm embrace, burying his face into Caesar's collar. A soft whimper quivers in Ash's throat as tears escape his eyes.

Broken. He was completely broken.

Chet can't look away. He has no idea what is happening… but it was strange. It seems so… real. If Ash is faking this, he must be a very talented actor… but those eyes, that face, those tears and that posture, they're all so… mournful. He blinks, realizing that Caesar too shares the same expression, clinging onto Ash as if his life depends on it...

Hastily, Chet begins to take notes.

"What do you remember?" he asks hesitantly.

To his surprise, Caesar immediately responds.

"The man," he says monotonously. "I woke up in the forest, I had no memory of who I was. I'm not sure if I still don't…"

"What's making you question that?"

"Feelings," he answers. "I have… feelings for Ash. I feel comfortable around him… and a couple others."

"Really?" Chet nearly exclaims. "Who? How do you feel about them?"

"August and Hunter," Caesar says. "They feel… familiar… but I don't feel a connection with them like I feel for Ash."

"I-I feel the same," Ash nearly whispers. "They're familiar to me… e-especially August… I like him… he's… nice…"

"What kind of connection do you feel with August?" Chet continues his questions.

"Friendship," Ash says. "I just… I'm unsure of how to approach it."

Chet makes a reminder for himself about who to speak to in his notebook.

"Interesting," he hums. "Caesar, what did you mean when you mentioned 'the man?'"

"Someone was chasing me," Caesar says. "I think… I must've wandered into his territory or something... He was practically relentless. I think he threw a rock or something at my back. It still hurts… After some time of running, I lost him, and then came the bear…"

…

"It still hurts?" Chet repeats.

Caesar nods solemnly.

Ash looks up at Chet. They seem to know what the other is thinking… Oh so very gently and caringly, Ash touches Caesar's back, pressing down ever so slightly. Caesar lets out a pained yet quiet growl, his pupils going slim as he bares his teeth and curls his claws. Ash quickly pulls his hand back, and Caesar relaxes once again. Chet glances back up at Ash, silently encouraging him to continue the investigation.

"I'm sorry…" Ash whispers. "I don't want to hurt you…"

Carefully, Ash lifts the back of Caesar's shirt, checking the aching spot on his back. His eyes widen and his jaw drops in horror...

...

"Holy shit… Chet… This… This is unnatural."


	17. Day 17 - October 1st

Ever since the news spread of Caesar's mysterious scar on his back, the soothing sensation of the forest has been drowned out by the lingering feeling of dread. Nobody can leave their shelter without feeling like they are being watched by someone waiting to strike them with the same weapon they used against Caesar, turning them into…

Well, who knows.

Kouji has taken the time to inspect Caesar's wound and analyze his behavior throughout the night, as Ash and Chet wouldn't let him roam about like usual. Fortunately, Ash was able to keep Caesar with him in a bigger shelter that Ricardio and Kami had made for them. How they are building these things so quickly and efficiently is still a mystery.

The night that Caesar had stayed with Ash was… awkward, to say the least. It is clear that they are intimate, but Ash struggled to pick up on certain queues that Caesar was giving with his changing nature. Marie will soon discover this as Ash walks into the cave entrance.

"Hey, Marie, I've got something to ask ya," he calls. "So uh… you know a bit about cats, right?'

"I suppose," Marie says as she places a pot of water over a fire. "Is something wrong?"

"I wouldn't say that," Ash says. "But uhh… I've gotta ask, why do cats do that pawing thing?'

"You mean kneading?" Marie asks.

"Yeah, why do they do that?"

Marie stares thoughtfully at the cave ceiling, smiling at the concept.

"Well," she begins. "As kittens, they often do it to their mothers to get milk from them."

Ash goes pale, paler than usual. His pupils shrink in shock as he holds his hands together in front of him and fixates his gaze onto the ground.

"… Oh…" he whispers.

"What's wrong?" asks Marie. 

Ash was silent for merely a few seconds...

"I'm not sure how to tell Caesar that I don't have milk," he blurts out.

Marie lets out a sigh.

"Adults do it to express comfort," she says. "He just thinks you're comfy."

"I sure fucking hope so," Ash growls. "Could you imagine if he actually wanted me to-?!"

"Aaaaaand wow! Would you look at the time? You better go get some work done!"

Marie yammers on as she gently pushes Ash out of the cave to avoid imagining any more unwanted images. Disgruntled and disturbed, Ash leaves for Chet's shelter to check up on Caesar once again. The slightest drizzle of raindrops fall from the sky and gently tap the top of his head, giving him the strange sense of both calmness and dread. As he approaches the humble hut, he hears...giggling…?

"It's funny how well he gets along with everyone now," Chet's voice says from within. "I mean, I think the only person that he hasn't gotten along very well with is Hunter, but that's because he just finds it… well… he has opinions on it."

There is a pause as another voice responds. Ash creeps up to the wall of the hut and listens closely…

"Do you think perhaps he can talk to animals with his new form?"

Surely, it is Ricardio.

"Wouldn't that be fascinating?"

"That would be fascinating!" Chet agrees. 

"Who knows what kind of bonds we could form with nature if that were possible," Ricardio sighs dreamily. "Well, we should be off now. We're thinking about digging underneath a tree to create a sort of hidden storage area, and it sounds like-... Rain! Of course. Well, the plans have changed today, I guess."

"You two need to take a break," Chet says. "I mean, you've made some nice places! Have you even made one for yourselves?"

There was silence.

"Well, you should," Chet scolds. "Now shoo and go rest! I have to continue my work."

Realizing that he would be spotted, Ash nimbly prances behind a tree, managing to hide just before Ricardio and Kami emerge from the hut. Kami mutters something to herself that Ash isn't able to understand, but apparently, Ricardio can.

"You're right," he says. "We do deserve a break…"

Kami smiles at Ricardio lovingly before she begins to walk away. Ricardio pauses for a moment to admire the rainy sky, leaving Ash with no choice but to wait. Although he rarely ever sees Ricardio up close, he can't help but notice how… different he looks from last time. Yes, his clothes are different, but even though it has merely a few weeks, he looks as if he has aged a few years. His skin is pale and flaking, his eyes dull with shadows and wrinkles beneath them, his hands scratched bandaged, his lips cracked and bleeding, and his hair dry and frizzled. He almost looks… starved…

Ash shivers at the sympathetic thoughts, trying to redirect his focus on the task at hand… but Ricardio catches him staring.

"What are you doing?" he asks with a rather challenging tone.

"Uhh…" Ash stammers. "I was uhh… taking a piss."

Ricardio glares at Ash suspiciously before huffing and turning away to follow Kami. Clearly, he didn't buy Ash's bluff despite how legitimate it seemed, or so he thinks. With a sigh, he returns to his own mission and walks into the hut, bumping right into Chet's back.

"Ricardio, for goodness sake!" Chet shouts. "Go back to your-! Oh! Sorry, Ash."

By now, Chet has turned to face him, a lively look in his eyes, far more energized than anyone else today.

"Er, it's fine, whatever," Ash says awkwardly. "How's Caesar doing?"

"He's doing just fine," Chet says with a smile. "See? He's sleepin'."

Chet turns to gesture towards his makeshift bed. Indeed, Caesar is curled up on it, his back facing Ash. He isn't wearing his shirt, instead having a large bandage wrapped around his wound. Ash kneels down beside him and gently rests his hand on his shoulder, feeling the steady rise and fall of his breathing.

"Don't worry, he's okay," Chet assures Ash. "Oh, did I mention that he's actually been getting visitors? Kouji's a regular, he gave him that bandage and stuff. Ricardio and Kami come by too, I guess Ricky is in need of an animal companion to help him cope with stress, and Caesar is the best we've got. What really surprised me was Tamako and Victoria, who gave him a meat treat."

"A meat treat?"

"Yes, some cooked fish."

"Ah…"

Ash lets out a deep, worried sigh and sits down beside Caesar.

"Seems like everyone's hogging my bed now," Chet mutters. 

Ash doesn't respond. 

"... Is uh… is everything okay…?"

"Chet, I've been thinking about something lately," Ash begins. "What if… What if his transformation isn't complete, and when it is… he becomes fully wild…?"

"Hm, an interesting thought," Chet hums. "Well, one thing that would support your hypothesis are his new catlike behaviors… However, the fact that he always returns is somewhat conflicting."

Ash lets out a tiny whimper, clearly something he is trying to hide. Chet looks away awkwardly, trying to think of a way to help…

"... If you need some time alone with him, I can leave," he offers. 

Ash nods ever so slightly, and Chet simply leaves without another word. Caesar is still sleeping, unaware of Ash's presence as he lies next to him, stroking his hair lovingly. Carefully, he pulls him into a hug, burying his face into his soft, silky fur. Before he knows it, he is crying softly, giving into the dreadful ideas of abandonment his imagination has created. 

"Please don't forget me…" he weeps. "Please…"

Caesar's paw twitches. That is the only response.

\---

"A human turning into an animal all because of a bloody lil rock?"

"It felt like a rock, Victoria, there's a difference."

"If only it had been me…"

"Yeah, Tamako getting this may have been a more convenient thing, to be honest."

"You really fucking trust her with that?!"

"Could everyone PLEASE settle down?!" Maya shouts.

The muttering crowd of settlers around the fire goes quiet. Everyone is there, with the only exceptions being Caesar and Ash. Maya, standing next to Chet, looks over at him and nods to give him permission to speak.

"Thank you, Maya," he begins. "Now, like I said, this is still a mystery that can only be solved by time, or so it seems."

"What if it happens to someone else?" Oliver asks. "Does it affect different people… differently?"

"That's absolutely possible," Chet agrees. "However, as of right now, we don't have any other experimental units that would provide evidence to support the hypothesis."

"Please speak English," Hunter sighs.

"It is perfectly comprehensible English," Chet says calmly. "You're just too lazy to process it."

"I can confirm that!" Kouji laughs.

Hunter rolls his eyes as a few settlers chuckle to themselves.

"What if we find the thing that caused Caesar to transform?" Maya suggests.

"The person chasing him or the rock?" asks August.

"The rock," Maya says. "Unless like… it was just a normal rock, and the person who threw it?"

The crowd sighs as yet another possibility comes into play.

"Dammit, she's right!" Victoria growls. "Well, I say we ain't gonna solve anything unless we go and actually look for the answers themselves!"

"Nice way to avoid saying 'look for clues,' Blue," Hunter chuckles.

"A bold statement coming from the scallywag who's brain just got flamed so hard I can smell it cookin' from inside yer hot headed noggin'!" Victoria snaps. "I learned that one from Kouji."

"Don't throw me under the bus here, sister," Kouji laughs nervously.

"Hey!" Marie suddenly shouts. "We're not solving anything by fighting. Let's organize a plan on who will search for what and when."

"Can we pause?" Tamako asks. "I need to translate everything for Kami, please slow down."

"Oh, please do," Maya says. "Thank you, Tamako."

Tamako smiles back at Maya thankfully before turning to look back to Kami, speaking to her in a language nobody else around them can understand. It only lasts for a very short time before Tamako signals that everyone is caught up.

"Hey, we don't have Ash and Caesar to plan with," August says. "Don't you think we should ask them about all of this?"

"Ash and Caesar are in no condition to go on this mission," Chet says. "Caesar needs to be contained in case anything happens to him, and I swear, every damn time I try to ask Ash about anything regarding Caesar, he starts crying… a lot. I feel bad for him."

"That's another thing we have to uncover," Kouji points out. "These weird ass feelings we keep having, the memories too."

"Since we're on the subject," Chet begins. "Would anyone like to bring any of these memories and feelings around?"

There is a pause as everyone thinks, trying to reach back and recall all that they can…

"I myself don't have much to say," Chet says to encourage the conversation. "All I know is that I've got a thing for uh… journalism. That's really it. Maybe that was my main job!"

"Now that you mention it, I feel a bit connected to what I do," Oliver chimes in. "Like, the gardening and stuff? I feel like I really know what I'm doing. Oh. I also woke up with seed packets and a trowel when I first got here."

"We are people who are lost!" Tamako shouts. "We must find our home! That has to be the case!"

"Do you have any memories, Tamako?" Chet asks.

"I like it in the dark," Tamako says. "Yet… something tells me… I used to fear it, perhaps?"

"Ooh, that's twisty," Hunter comments. "Y'know, some of you guys look kind of familiar to me, particularly you, August."

"Is that so?" August asks. "Hmm…"

August and Hunter stare at each other…

"I can't tell," August sighs. "But uhhh… maybe Oliver and I share a past…?"

"Bullshit," Oliver says. "I'm pretty sure you and I are just- … uhh… It just started here."

Someone whispers "Gay." The culprit is unknown.

"Well, when I got here, I was on my own," Marie begins. "But when I saw Maya, my first thought was that I needed to protect her."

"And thank god you did," Maya says. "As for me… I've got absolutely nothing."

"What about the hushpuppies?" Oliver asks.

"Holy shit, you remember that?" Maya exclaims. "Well… that's more of a knowledge thing, nothing personal… not that I think, at least."

"One thing we all share here is knowledge," Chet observes. "We all understand how certain things work, and we can all communicate. Many things we understand without thinking about the origin, but other times, we cannot recall even our grandmothers telling us of certain things."

Chet glances around at everyone, counting off who hasn't spoken yet. Tamako is currently translating everything to Kami, and beside Kami, fiddling with his own hair…

"Ricky!"

Ricardio jumps a bit and looks up at Chet.

"Do you recall anything about who you are?" Chet asks.

Ricardio holds his hands together, twiddling his thumbs.

"Um…" he mutters. "... No… not really…"

"Anything at all?'

Ricardio pauses before muttering something far too quiet for anyone to hear.

"Pardon?" Chet beckons.

Ricardio says it again, still too softly.

"One more time, please?"

"YELLING!!!"

The sudden roar from Ricardio startles everyone, leaving them stunned. Blinking, Ricardio realizes what he had done.

"I-I'm sorry…" he says softly. "I didn't mean to… I-I'm sorry, I really am, I shouldn't have yelled. I'm sorry. I-I-"

"It's okay, Ricardio," Marie says. "Please don't worry about it."

"Oh… she's mad…" Ricardio mutters as he crosses his arms.

"You said you remember yelling?" Chet asks.

"... I don't want to talk about it…" Ricardio growls. "Please just… I don't wanna take away any more attention from what's important right now… I'm sorry…"

Sensing his distress, Kami tries to hug Ricardio's arm. With a disturbingly fast and frightened reflex, Ricardio pulls away, whimpering and whining quietly. It is clear to see that something very bad is bothering him, but it is something that, even though it may help them a lot, is not to be discussed willingly amongst the others.

…

…

"So… none of ye know where ye came from?"

Everyone turns to look at Victoria.

"That's what we all have in common," Chet says. "Did you remember something?"

"Aye," says Victoria. "I remember everything."

A gasp rings through the crowd.

"Hold it right there," Tamako barks. "You said you didn't remember your past life!"

"First of all, it IS my life," Victoria snaps. "Second of all, I lied. I couldn't trust ye at the time, and I noticed this little problem you lot have. I just assumed it would be safer to not reveal anything."

"Hm, fair enough," Tamako growls.

"Do you mind telling us what you know?" Marie asks.

Victoria stares at the fire for a moment…

"My name is Victoria Hester," she begins. "I come from Plockton, Scotland, where I grew up and worked part-time as a fisherwoman with my father. We took a risk one day, and went out to sea while a storm was approaching. We thought we could get home in time before it arrived, but… we were wrong. I got thrown off the ship, and the next thing I knew, I was on a sort of… pirate ship? I don't know. It crashed here on this land not long after, and here I am."

"That explains a lot," Hunter comments. "That fishing net you have must've been yours back at home."

"What I wanna know is, how'd you remember all this stuff?" Oliver asks.

"It was from this."

Cautiously, Victoria reaches down the top of her dress and pulls out a necklace of seashells she is wearing by a string around her neck.

"My mother went on a trip to visit her hometown in Ireland one week," she begins to explain. "She traveled home on a boat where she met this family moving to our town; two parents, and my soon-to-be girlfriend, Millie Finley. When she moved in down the road, we established a sort of trading system: we'd give her family fish and other such things from the sea, and in return, she'd give us food from the farm they were building up. It was… very nice. Millie actually made this necklace for me out of the seashells I had given her over the years…"

Victoria's eyes go back to the flames, and she frowns longingly.

"I'm determined to find my way back home," she says. "I don't know how, or if I ever will… but I want to try."

Silence follows. The only movement comes from Kami, who is trying to get Tamako's attention for translation, but she ignores her, looking away. Ricardio looks at Kami sympathetically… perhaps empathetically as well, just a gleam of understanding in his eyes suggests so. Kami sighs and gives up on convincing Tamako, accepting the fact that she will continue to be clueless.

"We'll try our best to help you, Victoria," Maya says encouragingly. "Hell, maybe we'll build a boat and some of us will jump on with you!"

"Yer willing to do that?" Victoria asks. "Bah, yer all crazy, aren't ye?"

Most of the settlers laugh.

"Damn right!" says Kouji. "Crazy enough that we're still alive."

"Alright, we'll keep that in mind," Chet says. "But uhh… who's going on that mission from earlier?""

"I will," Maya volunteers. "Anyone else?"

"I'll go," says Hunter. "I've got nothin' better to do."

"You're the lumberjack," Kouji argues. "You're like… always working."

"Gimme a break, Kouji," Hunter growls. "And I mean that literally."

"Er, maybe I could come?" Oliver offers. "I mean… I don't think the season is right for gardening, besides pumpkins…"

August pulls Oliver into a tight, protective squeeze.

"Hck! I'll be fine!" Oliver grunts. 

"Just don't die," August says as he lets him go.

"Alright!" Maya laughs "I think that's a good sized team. How does tomorrow morning sound?"

"Sounds good to me," says Hunter. "Looks like everybody's got something special to do."

"Welp, I think that concludes our meeting," Chet chimes in. "Right, Miss Maya?"

"Sure thing," Maya confirms. "Thank you all for coming around!"

And with that, the settlers disperse, heading back to their shelters for the night. Some leave with satisfaction, others with buzzing, worrisome minds. The close ones remain closer, pondering how much time they have left, while others choose to not think about such a thing. It is all… stressful, to say the least. It's all confusing, but then again, nothing can be solved without effort, and they are truly beginning to get what they've been working for.

Starting…

Now.


	18. Day 18 - October 2nd

This world… it's so confusing. To end up here in a place where you must fight the forces of nature and other humans to survive, and you can't understand what anyone is saying. You may not even know whether they be your friend or foe, and one little mistake with this decision could cost you your life. Despite all of this, Kami feels that she can trust the people she's settled with, especially Victoria, Tamako and Ricardio. 

Kami can't understand a lot of what Victoria says, but she is confident with her friendship, as she's saved her from the pirates and has kept her safe ever since. She has also taught her some English, such as "Hello," "Yes," "No," "Goodbye." Victoria is good about teaching Kami, even with more than just basic words and sentences, such as ones that they used while traveling. Some that were used were things like "Danger is near," "I am hurt," "There is food here," and a few others. They still have use, even though the two of them haven't traveled in a while. Kami's least favorite yet most used term is "I'm still learning English." It makes her feel.. alienated. It is odd, really, and she hopes one day to conquer it. Thankfully, for the time being, she has Tamako.

Tamako is a fun person to be with. She's energetic and always has something funny to say, as well as being strong and reliable… most of the time. The night before was strange; she didn't translate anything that was said to Kami after Victoria said… something. She seemed upset and didn't respond, like she was deep in thought. Kami hasn't tried talking to her since the meeting ended. She isn't sure when she'll be able to speak with her again. In the meantime, she'll simply stay close to Ricardio.

Ricardio is... an interesting one. Besides Tamako, he is the one that Kami can understand the most, for he speaks less with his words and more with his body. She has been able to pick up on certain signals he has: twirling his hair means he's embarrassed, rolling his wrists means he's trying to focus, twiddling his thumbs means he's nervous, and waving his arms and hands means he's happy. The waving is her favorite of all of his little gestures, not just because of its meaning, but also because of how elegant it is. It moves like the conductor of an orchestra, going down, to one side, then another, up, and then down again to restart the cycle. Sometimes, it looks like dancing, especially when the rest of his body comes into play. Sadly, these motions only last for mere seconds, even shorter if he realizes that someone is watching him. It's almost funny to Kami, as Ricardio is very animated to say the least, a person quite intriguing to watch...

Kami lies awake, staring at the ceiling of the makeshift shelter while her worried thoughts buzz around her head. She turns to look at Ricardio sleeping on the other side, his arms wrapped around his feather pillow and his face half buried in its ragged fur. She stares at him and ponders just what he could be dreaming about. Trying to relax, she attempts to synchronize her breathing with that of his own…

Breathe in… slowly, gently through the nose…

Breathe out… don't rush, patiently out the mouth...

Breathe in… slowly, gently through the nose…

Breathe out… don't rush, patiently out the mouth…

...

What time is it?

Kami sighs and slowly stands up to gently push aside the pelt door and look up at the sky. The stars are still out, and the moon is only somewhat descending. It must be around three in the morning…

"Ah?!"

Kami's heart skips a beat as she looks behind her at Ricardio, holding her breath instinctively. Ricardio is no longer lying down, whimpering to himself and rubbing his eyes. Looking up at Kami's bed, he frowns, but soon double-takes to see her standing in the doorway.

"Daijyobu desuka?" Kami asks as she walks over and kneels beside him.

"I-I'm fine," stutters Ricardio. Everything else he says, Kami can't understand.

"'I'm fine.' Hmm..." Kami repeats thoughtfully. She has heard this expression many times before. Perhaps he understood what she meant?

"Yes," Ricardio says a bit more calmly. "I'm fine."

Kami gives him a shy yet understanding smile. Before Ricardio can say anything else, the sound of voices outside their shelter comes by. Kami rises once again and peeks out of the doorway. Ricardio recognizes a few...

"Funny how one rock can fuck us all up," Hunter's voice says.

Ricardio watches intently as Kami starts to creep out of the shelter.

"We don't even know for sure if it was a rock," Oliver's voice snaps. "It could've been anything."

Suddenly, Kami bolts out of the shelter, and Ricardio feels a sharp shiver shoot through him. He can't handle being alone, not after a nightmare like that. Hastily, he scrambles to his feet and bounds out after her, searching for where she has gone. He spots her approaching a group of settlers, including Hunter, Oliver, Maya and August. Hesitantly, Ricardio follows after them, hoping that his presence won't disturb them too much.

"Do we have everything we need?" Maya asks.

"I think so,' says Hunter. "I packed some extra food in case we take longer than expected." 

"How long do you think we'll be out anyway?" Oliver asks.

"I dunno, maybe a day," Hunter answers. "I don't expect us to spend more than that looking for a rock… Sup guys."

"Hello," Kami responds as Ricardio catches up with her.

"Oh, hey!" Maya greets them cheerfully. "We were just about to leave for our quest. Man, I've always wanted to say that…"

Kami clearly doesn't understand what she said, and looks to Ricardio to continue the conversation. Ricardio stares back at her, his shy, pleading gaze pondering for him to come out of his shell… are they both to be silent here?

"Um…" Ricardio begins reluctantly as he looks away from Kami. "That's nice… d-do you uh…"

Suddenly, he quivers, but recollects himself almost as quickly as he had frozen.

"Do you need any help?" he asks.

"We're fine, thank you," says Maya. "We have everything and we're ready to go."

"Except one thing," August chimes in.

August looks at Oliver and gives him a big kiss on top of his head, making him squeak in embarrassment.

"Th-Thanks," Oliver stammers. "U-Um…"

"Looks like it's coming along nicely," Hunter comments smugly.

"You better watch out," Oliver hisses with a glare at Hunter.

"Watch out for what?" Hunter asks.

Oliver stands there, trying to think of an intimidating response. Nothing happens. Perhaps the suspense is alarming enough.

"Anyway," Maya continues. "I'll be seeing you guys again tomorrow."

"Hopefully," says Oliver. "Well… goodbye."

Maya gives a friendly wave to the others as Oliver and Hunter follow her, their journey beginning. Ricardio, Kami and August watch silently as they walk further into the forest. Kami looks at Ricardio, who stares longingly as the travelers disappear, and it is so clear to see that he didn't say everything he wanted to say.

"Good luck," he whispers.

\-----

Look at them. Look at them all. None of these people know who they truly are. They're out in the middle of nowhere, stripped from their true identity, and they can only work with what the wild gives them. What do they plan to do here? Is it to simply survive, or is there another purpose? Surely, they must be planning on leaving someday… right? What if some stay? What if they're separated from each other by their desires to explore?

"Victoria!"

Of course, she has no time to think about that.

Victoria looks up and away from her reflection in the pond's water to see Kouji approaching her.

"Victoria," he calls again. "Have you seen Tamako around? I haven't got a clue where she's been all morning and it's driving me nuts!"

"Why do ye care where she roams?" Victoria questions. 

"Well excuse me, princess," Kouji sasses. "Need I remind you I just so happen to be the medic? Tamako is the huntress, god knows what she's been up to."

"And need I remind you that I'm a huntress as well!" Victoria snaps.

"Hey, whoa… that makes no sense," Kouji says. "What's your argument here…?"

Victoria sighs, her solemn gaze drifting towards the ground as she gives up her previous argument.

"No, it doesn't," she says. "I'm just… stressed."

"Is it about your past?" Kouji asks. "I know you wanna get home, and I'm sure that somehow we can help you."

"It's not that," Victoria says as she looks up at Kouji. "Well… it is that… but there's something else too."

Kouji hums softly to himself as he thinks, then gestures to the ground for Victoria to sit. The two of them settle down in the grass beside each other, staring out to the gentle pond.

"It's Tamako," Victoria whispers. "She's been acting strange lately… no, not her usual strangeness. What I mean is that she seems a lot less erm… energetic? I'm afraid she's mad at me…"

"Mmm, she's been like that since the meeting," Kouji notes. "Why would she be mad at you though?"

"I don't know," Victoria says shaking her head. "It's just… a feeling I have… She's refused to talk to me ever since I talked about my past."

"Maybe she's jealous?" Kouji says. "I mean, none of us really know anything about our past lives. All I know is my deadname and…"

Kouji goes silent, his vacant stare locking onto the dying grass on the ground beneath them...

"... and what?" Victoria asks impatiently.

"Someone yelling it," Kouji finishes suddenly. "Uh… I don't really know what to say. I dunno… I just blanked on everything."

"Are ye okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine… maybe I should just take a nap."

Kouji falls to his side on the ground, letting out a depressed sigh.

"I guess I'll go talk to Tamako," Victoria says. "Thanks for uh… the motivation."

Kouji doesn't say anything.

…

…

…

"... Kouji?"

"Mm?"

"Oh good, just makin' sure yer still alive."

\-----

Despite the peaceful atmosphere around them, Maya only finds herself irritated, silently asking herself why she offered to go on this journey when she knew the pain would hit at any moment soon. She clears her throat, trying to suppress her quiet groaning to not alarm her compassions. She glances up at Hunter, who is actually ahead of her admiring the tree canopies above them. Oliver is next to her, but catching up to Hunter as she slows her pace.

"Hunter, why the hell are you looking up?" Oliver hisses. "You know damn well that rock is going to be on the ground, right?"

"Yeah, I guess," Hunter replies. "I mean, it's possible a bird or something could've picked it up."

"And you think you'd see it from down here?" Oliver scoffs. "Make yourself useful."

"That's a bold ass statement coming from you!" Hunter laughs. "A farmer who can't grow a single damn corn stalk."

"We don't even have any fucking corn!" Oliver snaps.

Maya isn't sure whether to be aggravated or amused by the boys' bickering, therefore deciding to not interfere at all. 

"Still, you don't grow much," Hunter says. "That goes for your plants and your height."

"Oho, so you think Imma small fry, huh?! TRY ME!!!"

Looking up from the ground, Maya watches as Oliver tackles Hunter, making him merely stumble. Oliver growls as he latches onto the back of Hunter's thin and ragged shirt, thrashing around in an attempt to make him topple. Hunter lets out a sigh and begins to give in, falling to his knees as Oliver pathetically punches his back. And then… he rolls over.

"AIEEE NOOO!!!" Oliver squeals as Hunter crushes him. "Okay-! You win..! Hhhhhh I... can't... breathe-…!" It seems that their bout is becoming more playful.

Maya looks away from the two wrestling boys, assuming she wouldn't be able to convince them to do much else. Her tired gaze returns to the ground. Where had all of her motivation gone? It was just there before they left… A sudden pang of pain stabs at her gut, and a strange taste forms in the back of her throat. Feeling sickly, she sits beside a tree, and only now does she realize that Oliver and Hunter have stopped fighting, looking at her instead.

"Are you okay, Maya?" Oliver asks. "I'm… sorry for causing any trouble…"

Oliver gets up and brushes himself off. 

"I mean, I just get sensitive," he continues timidly. "Like… really. I guess I'm just… not feeling well…?"

"Funny how you're acting like this now," Maya nearly snaps. "I can't tell if you've changed or not."

"He'll think twice next time," Hunter comments as he too stands up.

Maya glares at Hunter with a formidable stare.

"That doesn't mean I'm on your side," she says a bit too calmly. "Please, for the love of god, stop fucking around so much."

"Alright, alright," Oliver interrupts. "I'll keep myself in check, but seriously, are you okay?? You don't look so good at all… I-I mean in terms of health."

"Mm, you do look pale and grey," Hunter hums in agreement. "Did you get any sleep last night?"

"I feel like shit," Maya huffs. "My head hurts, my back hurts, my hands hurt, my feet hurt, my port hurts, my gut hurts, my-"

"Whoa whoa whoa," Oliver stops her. "Your what now?"

"My gut," Maya hisses. "I'm kind of, perhaps, a woman."

"Ugh, no!" Oliver groans. "I meant before that. What did you say?"

"My… port?" Maya says.

Hunter and Oliver exchange concerned glances.

"What do you mean by that?" Hunter asks.

"My port, dude," Maya says, pointing at the right side of her chest. "You know, a port! What do you think I'm talking about?"

Suddenly, Oliver begins to shiver, and he wraps his arms around himself in an anxious hug.

"Oh fuck!" he exclaims in a ghostly, whispering voice. "Don't tell me… Do NOT tell me-!"

"Hey hey hey," Hunter hushes Oliver. "Let me handle this."

Maya blinks in confusion as Hunter kneels in front of her, Oliver staying back and watching in what looks to be… fear? Sadness? She can't even tell...

"What's a port?" Hunter asks calmly.

It's strange, the way he asked it… it sounds as if he already has an answer for himself, but wants to see what Maya will say.

"What the hell do you mean by that?' Maya chuckles. "It's like, this super important organ of the human body! Hello? Didn't you ever get educated?"

Hunter glances back at Oliver, who only continues to stare in horror.

"Remind me," he begins as he returns to face Maya. "What does the port do?"

"It's where the main veins of the body connect," Maya says. "It can clean blood and also be used to insert something into the bloodstream easily. Every living sentient creature needs one."

Oliver takes a step back...

"How do you know you have one?" Hunter asks.

"I can feel it," answers Maya. "Like, that little round bump right here. I can feel it when I move around a bit too! Did you forget all of this shit or something? Here, I'll let you feel."

Maya grabs Hunter's hand and places it over the right side of his chest.

"See?" she says with a hint of sarcastic cheer. "There's your port. Now, can we get a rest?"

Hunter lets out a very gentle, strangely calm sigh…

"Maya," he begins softly. "Give me your hand."

"I guess I won't argue with that," Maya says reluctantly. "Here's the princess."

Maya holds out her hand to Hunter, which he gingerly takes hold of and places it over where she had left his own hand. As her touch falls over his chest, her face melts into a look of shock, terror and dread, her eyes widening and her mouth falling agape.

"W-Where's your port???" she gasps. "Who took your port?!"

"Maya, listen..."

Hunter's expression … it's a bit difficult for Maya to read. It's a look of sincerity on the face of someone who's often smiling and joking around, someone that Maya knows for his casual, laid-back personality… but this time, he isn't kidding around. A gleam of honesty is in his eyes… are those perhaps tears? What is he so stone serious about? With a deep, almost rumbling sigh, he begins to give her the answers.

"I've never had a port in my entire life," he says. "Look, see? I have no scars."

Hunter moves the collar of his shirt aside, revealing the place where he had held Maya's hand. Indeed, there is no scar to be seen, just skin and thin strands of white hair.

"H-How... is that possible…?" Maya asks in innocent disbelief. 

"Nobody is born with a port," Hunter tells her. "It's given to you."

Hunter reaches over and gingerly lifts, Maya's collar away from her neck. She flinches upon contact, but allows it regardless. Hesitantly, she looks down at her chest, where her port is inside her...

A scar.

At this very moment, Maya's life is changing… no, it is being revealed to her. She keeps silently asking herself a million questions at once, the mysteries more so piling up than being solved… but are they leading her to the answers?

"I-I…"

A whimper interrupts Maya's thoughts, and she looks up to see Oliver is now in tears, wiping his face with his sleeve.

"I-I know abo-ut p-... ports…" he chokes out softly with gasping breaths. "M-My… mom used to have one…"


	19. Oliver Feng

It was a delicate thing, so rare, so precious, so beautiful. An arching stem of little, pink flowers was reaching out from the garden to the cobblestone path, brushing against his hand as he stroked it gently.

"You like the bleeding hearts, Ollie?" his mother asked as she approached his side.

"Uh huh," Oliver said as he withdrew his tiny hand. "They're pretty."

"Indeed they are," she agreed. "It's a shame they don't last very long."

"I wish they'd last forever," Oliver sighs. 

"Oh sweetie," his mother said as she scooped him up in her arms. "There's only one thing in this world that lasts forever."

"What's that?" Oliver asked.

"My love for you, of course!" Mother cooed.

Mother planted a big kiss on his cheek as he squealed, playfully trying to wiggle away from the affection.

"Mama, sto-oooooop!" he giggled.

"Never!" Mother said as she carried him towards their home. "I'll never stop, and you know it!"

\-----

"It's okay, Oliver, it won't hurt you."

Oliver stared in horror at the buzzing insect hovering over the tulips, his stance locked in place. Beside him stood his mother, who showed no fear, and had her hand gently rested upon his shoulder. 

"It's only a bee," she said softly. "It only wants the pollen from the flower, it won't hurt you."

After a few mere seconds of being stared at, the bee rose from the flower, and Oliver cried out and hugged his mother, burying his face into her belly. 

"Easy on the belly!" she gasped.

"I'm sorry…" Oliver whimpered as he backed away slightly.

With a worried sigh, Mother carefully patted his head, and he made an attempt to climb up to be held.

"Oh no no," she said. "I can't carry you anymore! You're too big."

"I'm not that big!" Oliver whined. "Please, Mama! Pleeeeease!"

"Tell you what," Mother began. "We can sit on the couch together instead. That way, neither of us will get hurt."

"Okay… I like that better…"

\-----

It looked like a crime scene. The pillows and plushies were scattered all over the floor, two rambunctious children were laughing and running around chasing each other, and of course, their older brother was lying face down in the middle of the floor, his head resting on a pillow. Despite the chaos and mayhem around him, he remained perfectly still, trying to avoid his responsibilities. He heard the door to the playroom open, followed by a sigh from his father.

"Well, honey," he heard him say. "Looks like the knights have slayed the dragon."

"Again?" his mother exclaimed from the other room. 

The two children stopped running, freezing in place.

"Oliver's a dragon?!" the brother gasped. "Lady Fable! What have we done?!"

"A noble deed, Sir Cecil," the sister declared. 

"But what if that dragon was good???" Cecil questioned in panic.

"Umm… I'll bring him back to life!" Fable said. 

"Whoa, you can do that?" Cecil asked. "Since when were you able to do that?"

"I was always able to do that," Fable said.

"Wait… then why didn't you bring King Kangaroo back to life?"

"..."

"..."

"We don't talk about that," Fable said ominously.

"Oh no…"

In his family, hearing Cecil say "Oh no" was a warning that Fable was about to do something very troublesome.

"Be careful with that magic," Oliver's father said.

…

"Clear!"

THWACK!

"Ow!" Oliver yelped as he jumped up from his sleepless nap. "Don't do that!"

While his father laughed, Oliver rubbed the back of his head where his little sister had whacked him with her plastic toy wand. Upon his awakening, she raised her hands in triumph.

"Tada!" she cheered. "It's a miracle of magic!"

"Funny how you do that to a dragon that we don't know is good or bad but not the good King Kangaroo," Cecil commented. "But whatever, I guess."

"There was no hope for King Kangaroo," Fable sighed solemnly. "Besides, I'm not a miracle worker!"

"But you just said- Oh nevermind."

Cecil had given up on the argument.

\-----

The bleeding hearts were back just in time. Oliver had been wanting to move the pot inside ever since his mother had gotten sick. He hoped that they would lift her spirits. However, lifting the pot and opening the door was going to be a challenge…

"Hey Oliver!"

Oliver's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Cecil greeting him as he approached. He looked down to see his younger brother giving him a playful smile.

"Oh, hey Cecil," Oliver said. "What's up?"

"Papa said I should help you," Cecil explained. "You know, since Mama is sick and all."

"Perfect timing, actually," Oliver said with a smile. "It's not like… exciting or anything, but could you please hold open the door for me so that I can take the bleeding hearts inside?"

"Why do you wanna do that?" Cecil asked. 

Oliver let out a nostalgic yet somewhat distressed sigh.

"Well, bleeding hearts are Mom's favorite flowers," he began. "Mine too, to be honest. I think if I bring them in, she'll feel better."

"But aren't those the super sensitive flowers?" Cecil asked.

"I'm not bringing all of them in," Oliver said. "Besides, they'll be by her bed, close to the window."

"Are you sure that'll be okay?"

"Oh gimme a break, will ya?" Oliver almost laughed. "C'mon, Mom will feel a lot better if we do this."

"Okay," Cecil finally agreed. "You just want me to get the doors?" 

"Yes please," Oliver answered.

"Mom's door too, right?"

"Yes."

"Should I stand inside or outside while holding it open?"

"Whatever way the door swings would be best."

"Which way does Mom's door go again?"

"Cecil…"

"Okay fine I just don't wanna mess it up!"

Carefully, Oliver and Cecil worked together to bring the pot of bleeding hearts upstairs to their mother's room. It was dark in there, as she was asleep while the old radio played relaxing, swaying, waltzing music. To Cecil, it was a fine tune, but to Oliver… he had to shake the feeling away. Honey by Bobby Goldsboro was not a song he could tolerate. It was not because he didn't like how it sounded, it was just the saddest song he knew, the instruments playing a loving, longing melody accompanied by lyrics that made him feel nothing but sorrow...

Trying to block out the song, Oliver carried the potted plant over to his mother's bed, quietly placing it beside the window. Cecil watched from the doorway, staring with worry at his sickly mother. He couldn't look for much longer, as Oliver had finished his work and brought him out of the room, closing the door behind him.

\-----

Oliver couldn't believe what he was doing. Why the hell was he walking these two depressed children to school? They should've been staying home, the school environment would only make it worse…

"Will Mama be okay?" Fable asked. "I… I'm sorry my healing spells didn't work…"

"It's okay, Fable," Oliver said gently. "Mom's in the hospital, they're taking care of her."

"... I know my spells are just fake…" Fable muttered.

"It's the thought that counts," Cecil said. "I'm sure she'll be fine… right Oliver?"

…

"I can't make any promises about that," Oliver said as they neared the school. 

Oliver turned around to look at his younger siblings. There they were, little fourth graders, fear and tears in their eyes as their little hands tightened around the straps of their backpacks. Oliver fought back against crying at the sight, and knelt down to give them a hug. The two children eagerly embraced him, clinging on tightly.

"Stay strong," he said. "Mom wants you to be happy, okay?"

\-----

…

It hurt.

It hurt so badly.

This sound, Oliver couldn't stand to hear it, the sound he had hoped he would never hear at a time like this.

The flatline.

He had been holding his mother's hand for a while, and in that moment, he had let go of it for the last time. There was nothing left to do but leave with his father…

… and tell Cecil and Fable.

He couldn't say it, not to those faces. Those curious, innocent little eyes that pleaded to know why Oliver was crying. They wanted to know how their mother was doing…

He couldn't tell them.

He stayed in his room while his father consoled them in the living room. He could hear their mournful wails breaking through the walls… 

There was an eerie, somber void in that house where she once slept, and the bleeding hearts died to the sound of Honey ending its final note.


	20. Day 19 - October 3rd

Tears run down Ricardio's face, a beloved nemesis standing before him. Everything this being is saying hurts his heart like a thousand blades, whatever pride he had left crumbling behind his defensive barrier with no resistance. He roars with rage as the being strengthens its voice, telling him that he will be worthless down the road he's going, blaming him for all of their problems, and calling him a traitor. Before he knows it, the screams have boiled his furious adrenaline, and to protect his own self, he charges forward, swinging his arms at the stronger nemesis who he knows he once loved. With every hit he lands, the further the feud goes from possibly being fixed… all for what? This is his right as a human being, he doesn't have to be treated like this… but he isn't strong enough.

Effortlessly, the being throws Ricardio onto the floor, screeching a barrage of vulgar insults at him before slamming the door shut, leaving him there to shrivel up and die. He slumps into a sobbing heap, praying silently that the being will leave him alone, and that the worst is over with…

… but the being returns with more to say, and so begins the cycle once again.

\-----

With a jolting twitch, Ricardio awakens, his eyes wide open and his heart galloping a mile a minute. He sits up and looks over at Kami's bed, and upon seeing that she was sound asleep, cautiously crawls out of their shelter. A cloudy sky with a cold breeze warns him as he enters the night, a low growl of distant thunder urging him to return to slumber. Regardless of the warnings, he carries on. Why on Earth is he leaving the safety of his home to join the wild twilight? Even he cannot be sure, perhaps it is an instinct from his past life?

Does he even have a past life?

Surely, he must. These nightmares cannot be from pure nothingness. There must be some meaning to them…

Unless… a spirit is speaking to him…

Could it be that these punishments are warnings from magical beings? Is there a god communicating with him through his dreams? Are these nightmares the messages that spirits are sending him?

Ricardio tries to shake away the feeling of guilt, but to no avail. The changing leaves around him shiver in the cold, ghostly breaths of the breeze, a haunting howl circling around him like a hungering predator. 

"It's not enough…" he mutters to himself. "This is not my full potential. I must do more."

… Why? Why isn't this enough? The settlers sleep soundly in his shelters, they say they appreciate him… Is that truly not enough?

"... Perhaps I'm okay," Ricardio mutters again. "I don't need to do any more than I'm already doing."

Awakening his animal instincts, a sudden flash of lightning and roaring thunder erupts in the sky, and he turns and bounds for his home like a hunted doe. Diving into the door, he notices that Kami has awoken, and she is already helping him off of the floor.

"D-Daij-… Are you okay???" she stutters in panic.

Ricardio isn't sure how to answer with words as Kami settles him down in his bed, checking him for wounds. Ricardio groans, putting himself in a sitting position as he clenches his jaw.

"I may have bruised myself…" Ricardio winces out. "It's okay though… I'm okay…"

Kami isn't quite convinced, staring into Ricardio's eyes with a worried gaze. He looks away, disliking the eye contact.

"I'm fine…" he says. 

"No."

Ricardio almost jumps at the unexpected, stern response from Kami. He looks back up at her to see her staring at him with… stubbornness? Disappointment? He can't quite tell, but whatever it is… it is certainly not happy with him.

"You are not fine," Kami says. "You're hurt."

"It's just a bruise," Ricardio says. "It's nothing to worry about…"

Kami pauses, translating for herself silently…

"You're scared," she says in a near mutter. "You're sad… You're hurt at night."

Kami sighs, assuming that whatever she said wasn't elaborate enough to make Ricardio react any differently… but sometimes, simplicity is better.

"I'm… scared," he stutters out. "I have nightmares where someone yells and attacks me for a long time…"

Picking up on some keywords, Kami lets out a tiny gasp, her concern growing greater. The stormy winds rattle their roof, making the shelter shiver.

"Are you okay?" she asks again, this time much more gently.

Ricardio shamefully bows his head towards the ground, tiny tears escaping his eyes.

"... No," he croaks out. "I am not okay."

Silently, Kami stares at him, her face now neutral, yet thoughtful. She taps one of her fingers in a pondering way as she slowly blinks at him…

Ricardio feels something surround him.

Opening his eyes, Ricardio realizes that Kami has pulled him into a warm embrace, her chin resting upon his shoulder.

"You'll be okay," she says while gently patting his back. "I'm right here for you."

Surely she must have repeated that from someone… does she actually mean it? Ricardio lets out a stubborn sigh, giving into her affection. Lightning flashes outside, casting roaring thunder and howling wind over them. The two of them huddle away from the door as it tears away from its latch, the vicious storm relentlessly pouring rain and hail down upon the Earth. They can hear someone's fearful cries, yelling for everyone to stay indoors. Ricardio shivers and buries his face into Kami's shoulder. Although he is fearful of the cruel world around them, he is happy to have a companion whose comforting touch is there when he needs it. Soon, her steady heartbeat and breathing lulls him back to sleep, this time in a dreamless rest… Thank goodness.

\-----

The walk is silent. There is too much to take in to speak. Even in the morning, Hunter dared not to ask any questions to Maya and Oliver, both of whom had found out something critical about themselves only last night. Hunter is still unsure about his past, only mere images are seen in his mind, scenes of walking on paved paths through small forests to unknown destinations, people dancing to songs he feels that somehow he must know by heart. Unlike the others, he prefers to keep these thoughts to himself, as he assumes most of the others will be able to solve this mystery of life on their own. The only person he trusts enough to tell about his memories to is Kouji, who's simply the person he spends the most time with. Of course, this is due to the fact that Hunter is a little reckless with his work, and Kouji is a very caring medic that has quite the fatherly instincts upon the sight of a scar. It is honestly amusing to Hunter, but he'd never admit that.

Hunter looks up again at the trees above him, hoping they will remind him of some hidden memory within him, much as Maya's port had reminded Oliver of his own past. Oliver's mother had died from cancer, leaving only him and his father to take care of his younger siblings. He had to drop out of school to get a full time job to help pay for everything, and that's all he claims to remember after that… Maya, on the other hand, can't remember much of anything. She had believed that a port was a normal human organ, when in reality it was surgically inserted for medical purposes...

Is it possible that Maya could have cancer?

No. No it couldn't be… unless she's been cured, it makes no sense…

But… she's been ill and fatigued lately… 

Hunter tries to shake it off, looking back at his companions to make sure that they are okay. Oliver and Maya sullenly walk behind him, their eyes locked on the ground. Perhaps they are looking for the mysterious rock…

"Whaddaya mean ya can't find em???"

The sudden unfamiliar voice causes all three travelers to stop dead in their tracks, their eyes frantically searching for a source… that's when they heard the sea shore.

"She was one of the strongest, god dammit!" the gruff, distant voice says again. "Now all we got left is… well, this guy and Nimble."

Maya steps forward and gestures to the boys, silently telling them to lay low, keep quiet, and follow her. The three of them hunker down and slink through the underbrush, heading towards the voices.

"Be careful with them," a deep yet feminine voice says. "They're all we have left."

"She's going to be so mad…" sighs an old man's raspy voice. "Should we just put all the essence in now?"

"Are ya crazy!?" the gruff voice spits. "We need to make them stronger, yeah, but we need to make them respect and obey us first!"

"Maybe try being nice to them?" the female voice says. "Like… that'd make everything a lot easier."

The three travelers creep up to a patch of bushes and peer over to see who is talking. Standing on the sandy shore in front of a large, partially wrecked wooden ship are four people; a strong looking man, a tall woman, an old man, and a lanky looking young adult.

The strong looking man seems to be the leader. He is about Hunter's size, only a bit more muscular, much to the surprise of Hunter himself. He's dressed in ragged robes that fall to his knees, holes from scratches exposing his tanned skin. Nothing can be made of his face, as his entire head is hidden by a mask resembling that of a snarling lynx. Hunter brushes away any feelings of intimidation, believing that hiding behind the mask is a sign of cowardice, or perhaps a tool to make him look more formidable than he actually is. It seems that this brute usually wields a spear, that or he just so happens to be standing next to an assortment of them planted in the sand.

The tall woman stands adjacent to him in a strong stance, her hands on her hips and one foot slightly raised from the ground in such an elegant pose. She is dressed in a jacket with a grey fur collar, simple brown pants and hiking boots, a look that she is somehow able to make look rather nice despite the poor conditions. Her dark brown hair is tied in bushy pigtails, both of which stand almost upright on her head. Even if their distance is quite far, somehow, Hunter can spot the glimmer of her large, golden hoop earrings in the setting sun. Her face shows a sign of impatience particularly towards the brute, a gleam of cunning intent in her bright pink eyes. This woman has a powerful, fearless aura, one to be reckoned with, and she doesn't even need a mask.

The old man looks like a nutjob. He is pale, thin and hunched over, using a giant stick as a cane. Hunter hears Oliver hiss in disgust, which he assumes is his reaction to realizing that the geezer is dressed in nothing but a short leather skirt. Fortunately, it isn't just a loin cloth, for he is facing away from them, and that would've been a terrible experience for the trio.

Between the old man and the brute stands the young adult, who is actually a little bit shorter than Hunter, but not by much. Their skin is dark, much darker than Hunter's, making it easy to see the shine of water on them. Their hair is curly, shaggy and black falling down to their neck, a tie of rubies dangling from the right side of their head. They wear what appears to be a ragged orange sporty tank top with the number "7" written on the front in white. Their black shorts and orange and white sneakers confirmed to Hunter that they were most likely a team player before they got here, but for whatever sport, he is unsure…

"That one's got a wooden shield," Hunter whispers to Maya about the young adult. "What are we gonna do?"

"I'm more interested in the big ass boat," says Maya. "I think these are the guys that held Victoria and Kami… But let's figure out what they're talking about first, then we'll decide what to do…"

"I mean, I'm no one to talk," the young adult begins. "But I do believe that a little more respect would convince me enough to stay with you, not to mention Nimble."

"I doubt Nimble would go runnin' off," the old man said. "That fella wouldn't get so far…"

"Nimble…" Maya mutters to herself. "That's a cool name."

"Maybe if it wasn't for the essence, he could," the young adult said with a sting of hatred. "He's all yall've got left… besides me, but I'm not the one who's gonna get it."

"You will if that boy keels over!" the brute shouts. "Now hurry up and get some fish."

The brute shoved the young adult away, who huffed and lifted a fishing spear from the ground before walking away towards the ocean.

"Say," begins the old man. "If all these kids are showin' up around here, don'tchya think they might be out there further up the island?"

"This place is a fucking island?" Oliver whispers. "Jeepers creepers…"

Hunter holds in laughter from Oliver saying "Jeepers creepers."

"We'll have the gatherers and hunters search for that," says the woman. "For now, let's worry about dinner."

Immediately after the woman finishes speaking, in the blink of an eye, the old man collapses to the ground, an arrow protruding from his back.

"What the fuck?!" the brute exclaims. "You TRAITOR!!!"

The woman and brute ram into each other in a battle of nothing but fists and feet. Before Maya and Hunter can react, a gust of wind blows past them as Oliver leaps out from the bushes, sprinting towards the brute with trowel in hand.

"OLIVER!!!" Maya shouts out as she follows him. "What the hell are you doing?!"

The woman jumps back as Oliver tackles the brute, attempting to stab him in the face with his trowel. The brute grabs his wrists, only for Oliver to bite down hard enough for him to let go. The brute tosses Oliver aside just as Maya reaches him with her knife wielded, her blade meeting the stick of his newly retrieved spear. Hunter stands to see that the woman has abandoned Maya and Oliver, directing her focus to…

"Holy fucking shit… there's more?"

Creating a cloud of dust in the sand, a hoard of enraged settlers charges towards them with a thunderous war cry. Quickly, Hunter grabs his axe and runs up beside the woman, who looks up at him in confusion.

"It's okay," he says. "I'm on your side."

Filled with determination, Oliver pushes himself to his feet, preparing to pounce at the brute once again. He looks up to see Maya dodging a stabbing blow from the brute's spear, the head piercing into the ground and sending a burst of sand particles into the air. Maya lunges for a slashing strike to the brute, skimming his arm just barely. Oliver begins the dash as the brute withdraws his weapon from the ground and leaps onto him once again. With a riveting jab, he stabs the trowel into the brute's mouth, and just as the blade hits the back of his throat...

A strong, sudden, stinging force knocks Oliver back on the ground with a burning pain in his right eye. He feels the warm flow of blood gush over his face, covering his hands as he collapses. Speaking is not an option, for the only thing he can do is cry out in agony, holding his hands over his face and curling up to hide away from any more torture. The deep thumping of running footsteps passes by his body, stopping directly in front of him.

"Stand back!!" a voice shouts. "Get away from him, NOW!!!"

Heart racing, mind swirling, everything starts to grow distant, as if he were falling slowly into a voice of darkness and silence, far away from what is reality. For a brief moment, his consciousness hangs there, only to slip away into nothingness. The sights, the sounds, the smells, the pain… it is all gone now.


	21. Day 20 - October 4th

It's so quiet without Maya around. She always brought more energy to Marie's spirit while they worked, but now everything is… dull. As the meat roasts over the crackling fire, Marie's ears ache as they search for the sound of Maya's voice, but to no avail. With Chet preoccupied with studying alongside Caesar and Ash, and Tamako's uncomfortable distancing from the other settlers, Marie is once again cooking all alone in the cave. Like a sorrowful mother, she longingly stares towards the entrance of the cave, just waiting for a sign that her friends had come home…

Footsteps…

Eagerly, she becomes alert, her gaze locking in place and her body growing still… but no… these footsteps do not belong to Maya…

"Oh," Marie says with a hint of disappointment. "Hello, August."

August stands in front of Marie, a solemn look on his face silently telling her his excuse to be present.

"Hi…" he murmurs.

"What's wrong?" Marie asks almost rhetorically.

It takes a lingering moment for August to finally come to terms with his commitment of telling her.

"... I miss Oliver," he whines. "I'm worried about him and… well… I just want someone to talk to."

Marie pauses, watching as August looks up at her with a pleading pair of eyes. With a deep sigh, she reluctantly sits herself down on the rug and pats the space beside her. August eagerly walks over and settles down beside her. Not wanting to spend much more time on this, she speaks first.

"When's the last time you touched someone?"

"W-What do you mean?" August asks. "Like… held their hand?"

"That, a hug, a kiss, anything, really," Marie says. "When was the last time you did that?"

August goes quiet, trying to remember…

"I haven't touched anyone since Oliver left…" August says. "... That didn't sound right, but you get what I mean."

"You're touch starved," Marie explains. "Come here."

Before August can react, Marie pulls him into a gentle, tender hug. Her arms wrap around his waist, tightening their grip until he is snuggly pressed against her own body. She gingerly rests her head upon his shoulder, and a wave of calmness washes over him. His body relaxes, and ever so slowly, he returns the embrace to her. As his arms cross her body, her tense muscles loosen, and she too finds herself at ease. The crackling fire, the gentle breathing, and their steady heartbeats are the only sounds they can hear, the warmth of both their bodies and the flames soothing them, the scent of burning wood and a meal cleansing their minds. After a moment of silence, the two let each other go, their eyes averted from the other.

"Thanks," August whispers. 

"Thank you too," Marie replies softly. "I… I must admit, I'm missing someone too…"

"I know," August says with a nod of understanding. "It's so weird not having them around…"

"Well," Marie begins with a sigh. "If you ever need anything else, just know that I am here for you, and so is everyone else."

August smiles gratefully, his gaze wandering to the tiny fire. 

"So… what's for breakfast?" he asks. 

"Oh dear," Marie gasps awakening from her trance, fumbling to extinguish the flame. "Um… Venison. Well done venison."

\-----

There is no food here.

Keep looking.

There is no food here.

Listen closely.

There is no food here.

Can you trust them?

There is no food here.

She lied to you.

There is no food here.

But there must be food…

Tamako's stomach growls, demanding her to press on. It is the dawn of autumn, there should be animals all about, where are they? Huffing to herself, she clambers atop a large rock to find a better view of her surroundings. She can barely even see the opening in the forest where the settlement lies, which clearly explains her exhaustion from traveling so far. Giving in, she finally settles down to rest for a while, taking in whatever rays of sun peek through the clouds. The wind quietly whistles, carrying the scent of pine along with it, but not even that can bring Tamako to completely relax. A tiny little void of sadness pulsates in her heart, asking her the same demanding questions that plague her mind. A gentle frown is on her face, yet no one is there to see it. A deep sigh lifts some weight from her as her eyes glance around the world surrounding her. This is the first time in a while that she had actually slowed down in life, taking in everything she misses out on in the thrill of the hunt. Her heartbeat slows as another gust of wind graces her, and her body relaxes into the soft green moss below her…

…

…

…

With a start, Tamako awakens at the sound of a familiar voice nearby, particularly, one she hasn't heard in days. How long has she been napping? She calls more energy back to her body and stretches before eagerly crawling towards the sound. Tamako's movement is ever so strange, as she's hunkered low enough to the ground to practically trot on all fours as she pleases, so much so that it is now a nearly mindless act for her. The dirty and rocky terrain proves to be a challenge for her, especially with the presence of the newly fallen leaves on the ground. Regardless of the difficulty, it only takes a mere moment for her to locate the source of the voice…

Walking at the base of the hill is a group of people, specifically Maya, Hunter, and five people she does not recognize. Hold on, Maya and Hunter are part of the searching group… along with… Oliver! Where's Oliver?! Panicking, Tamako dips down to hide within the undergrowth, observing the situation closely before deciding how to act…

Maya, the owner of the loud voice she had recognized, seems to be donning some new bandages… in fact, they all look quite roughed up, was there a fight? Despite her condition, Maya speaks calmly and comfortably around these strangers. Hunter is the same, and now that Tamako has a closer look at him, she can see that he is carrying a large wrap of cloth… Is there something within that cloth? 

At the sight of a stranger's eyes heading towards her direction, Tamako goes still. These eyes are unlike any Tamako has seen of another human in this land; a piercing purple color and a formidable, brooding stare. Her skin is a deep, dark brown, her hair a blossoming pink and purple from top to bottom, frazzled and long down to their shoulders with spiking curls. Her ragged lavender jacket stains of blood, as if she is reluctant to let it go as the rest of her body gradually transitions to the typical wear of another human of this land. Tamako's skin crawls at the sight of her, sensing her strength, endurance and seriousness as a possible challenger and worthy opponent.

Accompanying close to this stranger are two other women: a tall one carrying an unidentified object in one arm, and a short and flowery one. The short one catches Tamako's attention, not because of her small and stubby appearance, but rather because of the fact that she wields a bow and quiver. A deadly ranged weapon! Tamako drools at the thought, watching as the young woman looks around with a gleam of innocent-looking curiosity in her aquamarine eyes. She looks small, pale, chubby, and sweet, her long cinnamon hair held back in a ponytail with a lively purple flower tie and her hide clothing covered in a collection of patches of pastel colors. Tamako does not let the lovely looks deceive her, however, as the bow still lingers in her mind… What sort of accuracy does she have with such a weapon? She must be good considering the party is entrusting her with it… that or no good at all, making her barely a threat. She remains close to the tall one, perhaps protecting her.

The last two strangers… one is being carried by the other. The androgynous one holds the child in their arms, their stern expression holding still as they focus their attention on Maya. The child has an almost blank face, their mouth slightly agape and a curious wonder in their foggy, vacant eyes. Pale and frail with fading brown hair, dressed in grey rags, barefoot… They can't be any older than seven years, and yet Tamako can't help but think aloud to herself...

"This child is either a weak creature, or possesses great power…"

Noticing that the first stranger is no longer staring her way, Tamako begins to slink in the same direction in which they travel. The ferns around her brush past her face, some licking her face with a rough touch like a cat's tongue. She draws closer to them with each step, Maya's voice becoming clearer and clearer…

"... I just have so many questions," she hears Maya say. "Part of me wants to learn the truth, but another part says that I'm… better off not knowing at all."

"Perhaps that is a memory warning you?" suggests the purple-eyed stranger. "After all, nobody knows for sure who knows who and who does not."

Her voice holds power, deep, dark and sincere, yet the words are empathetic and the tone is kind. Her southern accent, however, has no interest in hiding itself. Somehow, it sounds as if it adds years of wisdom to her.

"I dunno," Maya admits with a sigh. 

"Listen," Hunter chimes in sternly. "All I know is that those guys definitely have something to do with Caesar's transformation."

Drawing closer, Tamako begins to rise, climbing up to the top of a rocky ridge and looking down upon them. Lifting her face to the sky, she lets out a haunting howl, alerting them of her presence. Looking back again, she sees that everyone's eyes were now on her, and Maya's expression quickly shifts from fear to glee.

"Tamako!" she calls cheerfully. "C'mere! C'mere!"

Heart leaping, Tamako jumps down to the hillside, sliding down to the ground as Maya runs to greet her. As they near each other, Tamako springs from the forest floor and playfully tackles Maya in a welcoming hug, knocking her to the ground. The two of them laugh, happy to have this particular trustworthy companion back in their life, even after a mere few days. 

"W-Who is this?" the androgynous stranger asks as they hold the child closer and step back. Their voice is about as neutral to gender as their appearance, yet it quivers with pitch in fear.

"Okay, okay," Maya says while fighting laughter. "Come on, girl, you gotta get off a' me!"

Tamako does as she is told by her leader, standing up and shaking the dusty dirt off of herself. She reaches down and helps Maya stand, grabbing onto her bandaged hand. As Maya rises to her feet, she turns to face her other companions.

"This is Tamako Fujiwara," she begins. "She's our hunter-"

Hunter clears his throat.

"-and she's a damn good one at that!"

"Does she… does she like… have the essence…?" asks the tall stranger. Her voice is slightly rough on the throat, varying in tone and range as she speaks, perhaps it's just a sassy voice regardless of her intent. It's actually harmonic to that of Maya's, who almost sounds as if she, somehow, could be from Boston.

"Not that I'm aware of…" Maya says. "Do you, Tamako?"

"Not that I'm aware of!" Tamako echoes.

"Well then…" the tall stranger sighs. "I guess some people really are just that way."

"You guys introduce yourselves while we keep walking," Maya says. "Getting home is our number one priority right now."

"Yeah," Hunter agrees as they continue their journey. "I can't carry Oliver forever."

"Oliver?!" Tamako exclaims. "You're carrying him???"

"Eeeee uhhhmmm… It's a long story…" Hunter says with a disturbed cringe. "We'll tell everyone when we get back." 

Tamako blinks at Hunter and the mass of cloth he carries. Quietly, she sniffs the air, picking up the scent of blood… but before she can continue her investigation…

"I might as well go first," says the southern stranger. "My name is Dorothy Kaiden… y'all can just call me 'Four' if you want."

"I've never heard of such a nickname," Tamako says. "Tell me, what may its origin be?"

"I reckon it's my lucky number," Four says. "Just a hunch though."

"I'm Leona Vasquez!" the short stranger says as she trots to catch up with Tamako. Her voice is bright and sweet, high-pitched and charming with a slight French accent. Needless to say, it very much matches her appearance.

"I have much interest in your weapon, Leona," Tamako hums.

"Oh yeah, it's pretty cool, right?" Leona giggles. "I stole it from the brutes and used it against them! I didn't think I'd have good aim, but… here we are!"

"She shot the elder," the tall stranger laughs proudly. "I'm Kokona Tamashiro. That's it, really."

"What could be that thing you're carrying?" Tamako asks with a gleam of curiosity in her eyes.

Kokona smirks.

"It's a bongo," she says. "It sucks that I don't have a full set of two though."

The androgynous stranger looks reluctant to introduce themselves.

"And you?" Tamako calls encouragingly.

"Melvin Matsumoto," they spit out. "Just call me 'Mel.'"

"Is that all?"

"Just know that I patched up your friends," they say. "And don't touch Nimble."

Upon hearing his name, the child in Mel's arms awakens from his own thoughts and nudges their chin with his hand.

"It's okay, Nim," Mel whispers in a soft, sweet voice.

Nimble settles down once again, his ghostly eyes locking onto the sky. Tamako decides to not ask any questions about it, assuming they will be answered later. She turns her attention to Maya, ignoring the others around her as she walks up to her leader.

"Maya," she whispers. "There's something I must talk to you about…"

"What is it?" Maya asks.

"It's about Victoria," Tamako begins. "I… I'm having a bit of an issue with her."

Maya looks back at the others, and the second she does, their eyes dart away from her.

"Mhm…" she hums. 

Abruptly, she stops in her tracks, taking Tamako aside from the herd.

"Everyone, keep walking," she orders. "Tamako and I need to talk alone."

"Yes, ma'am," says Hunter as he begins to lead the way.

The travelers pass by them without another word, yet Maya waits for them to be long out of earshot before signaling to Tamako to tell her story.

"I can't be sure if I can trust her…" Tamako begins. "She lied to me, claiming that she had no recollection of her life, yet she told us every detail that one night we were discussing those mysteries together…"

Tamako's eyes widen in realization.

"Maya, she's proven stronger than me," she says with a shivering voice. "What if she's actually working for those people that she said were holding her hostage??"

"That's not possible," Maya reassures her. "We came across those guys… they were talking about how Victoria and Kami had escaped when we found them. After that, Kokona and her friends started ambushing them, and… Oliver charged in to help, so we got involved."

"I suppose…" Tamako sighs uneasily. "I should go apologize to her… More importantly, what happened to Oliver?"

Maya tenses up, her face growing pale as she shivers. The gory details still plague her mind...

"... Um… well…" Maya mutters. "The brutes had backup, and one of them shot Oliver in the eye with… an 'essence pellet.'"

"'Essence pellet'?" Tamako repeats. "Mel wonders if I have the essence, correct?"

"Yeah," Maya confirms. "It's the essence that turns anyone into an animal when it enters their bloodstream."

"Mel told you all of this?" Tamako asks.

"They did," Maya says. "Mel was able to give him a patch for his eye…"

"An eyepatch."

"Well when you say it like that it almost sounds dumb, but yes. I'm sure he'll survive, but… it's just so much to take in all at once." 

Tamako growls to herself, the gears in her brain turning rapidly. 

"I have so many questions…" Tamako says. "How is the essence made? Why are they turning people into animals?"

"I don't know," Maya mutters. "Let's get home, I'm sure we'll learn about it all tomorrow…"

With that, the two begin to follow their now distant companions, focusing on the sounds surrounding them… If the cultists were to be near, they would lead them to their home and friends, bringing about certain doom... Everyone's ears remain sharp tonight, and their eyes wide open, even if they cannot see.


	22. Day 21 - October 5th

Midnight, the starry skies are cloudless tonight. The searchers and newcomers have returned to the silent settlement, not a single sound from the huts is heard. The newcomers glance around, observing their new surroundings as they all wait for Maya's call.

"Welcome home," she says to them softly. "Hunter, get Oliver to Kouji immediately."

"Aye aye," Hunter says as he leaves to complete his task.

"Tamako, you're free to roam."

"Thank you, Miss Canzanilla," Tamako whispers with a respectful bow. "I still need to find food…"

Tamako then turns away and sprints back into the forest, disappearing into the darkness in a matter of seconds.

"And for the rest of you," Maya continues as she turns to face the five newcomers. "I doubt Ricardio and Kami have built anything new as of yet, so I think you should all stay in the cave with me… unless somebody willingly takes you in."

"How many people live here anyway?" Four asks.

"I'm not gonna bother counting right now," Maya growls. "I'm exhausted. C'mon now, let's go to sleep. Mel, come with me…"

Four goes silent, her gaze drifting towards the huts as everyone disperses to find a place to stay for the night. She finds herself staring at a particular hut surrounded by rocks. She proceeds to approach it without hesitation, listening closely for any signs of life. The sounds of someone mumbling from within becomes clear as she nears the door, and gently, she knocks on the wooden wall. The mumbling comes to an abrupt halt, a silent tension presenting itself as the person inside most likely ponders what to do…

"Who is it?" the voice calls.

"Dorothy Kaiden," Four answers quietly. "I was brought here by Maya Canzanilla and Hunter Rosenhall."

Another pause, this one only having the soft sounds of leaves rustling inside to accompany it, followed by…

"Caesar, no!"

In a sudden, dazing rush, a blur of motion flies out from behind the deerskin doorway and slams into Four, knocking her to the ground with a menacing snarl. She feels her hair piece fall off as the attacker pins her to the ground, and all she sees before making her move are flaring yellow eyes and snarling fangs in the darkness. Eager to save herself, she reaches above her head and grabs her loose accessory, shoving it into the threatening face of the beast. It growls and yowls as she pushes it off of her, backing away and rising to her feet just as the door is opened again.

"For fuck's sake!" Ash sighs as he lifts Caesar off of the ground. "Not everyone understands your territorial bullshit!"

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" Chet exclaims as he emerges from the doorway. "Are you okay?"

"I'm quite alright," Four says as she snatches her wig back from Caesar.

Caesar is looking a lot less human, with a dark, striped and spotted furry face and a small snout for a mouth. His ears have grown longer and fuzzier, pointed and casted behind his head, more on top than to the side. Skinny white whiskers grow above his lips, which twitch irritably at this unfamiliar stranger in his territory. 

"Sorry for the trouble," Chet apologizes. "I'm Chet Perez. This is Ash Sivale and… Caesar."

It suddenly dawns upon Chet that having a human-lynx mutant as a companion is not a very normal thing. 

"I'm only here for shelter for the night," Four says as she places her hairpiece back on her head. "That is, if you permit it."

"Oh! Uhh… do we have enough room…?" Chet ponders aloud.

"Caesar doesn't mind sleeping on the floor, apparently," Ash says. "Though… technically we're all sleeping on the floor."

"I'm just fine with that," Four sighs. "It beats a musty old hole in the ground."

"Please, come in," Chet says as he re-enters his home.

"Funny how quick you are to trust me," Four comments as she follows him.

"I don't," Chet says abruptly. "But I trust them."

Chet gestures behind him towards Ash and Caesar, who walk past Four to their own pile of leaves. Caesar growls lowly as Ash settles down and places him beside him, his gleaming golden eyes lingering upon her with a piercing gaze. Despite his tactics of intimidation, Four is not fazed, her battle scars being enough evidence as to why. Ignoring the lynx, she returns her attention to Chet, who was wrapping a cloth around a sturdy stick of wood.

"I've decided to go out for the rest of the night," Chet says. 

"Why?" asks Ash. "You don't seem to be that type of guy, you know, the ones that hang out in the shadows."

"I have many reasons," Chet almost snaps. "The first one, clearing my head. The second, my interest in the stars. The third is looking for Tamako, cuz you know how she is."

"Mhm," Ash hums with slight disbelief.

"Make yourself comfortable," Chet says. "I'll be back."

Without another word, Chet leaves once again, a faint light glowing from the outside as he lit the torch and headed for the forest. Silence follows as Four stares at the doorway for a moment before turning away and settling down on the leafy bed. It is quite flattened, but feels as if a new layer of leaves had recently been applied. As relieving as it is to finally have a decent shelter, the presence of these unfamiliar people is somewhat unsettling to her… Then again, it must be unsettling to them too. If they really wanted to harm her, they would have just let Caesar fight her. Why would Caesar act that way if they were trying to hide something anyway? Perhaps an eventual betrayal is being planned, but for now, it's best to focus on the present.

Four glances back over at Caesar, who is still staring at her, but he isn't the only one watching her. Ash is also looking at her, but the second their eyes meet, he averts them uneasily.

"What?" Four calls. "What's the matter with you?"

"You seemed to handle getting surprised by Caesar pretty well," Ash says. "Do you uhh… Do you happen to know anything about what happened to him?"

"As in?" Four asks.

Ash pauses, preparing to speak of bitter memories.

"He used to be human," he says. "He was hit by this thing that gave him a weird scar on his back and… well, we thought it might've been a rock, cuz he said that's what it felt like. That's actually why our friends left in the first place, just to go look for the rock. It looks like they found you instead."

Ash lets out a depressed sigh.

"Ever since he got hit, he's been changing," he continues. "It's just so… weird. How is this all happening? Why is it happening? Why can't we just be normal? Who's sick fantasy is this? Like… I… I dunno…"

Ash bows his head to his chest, burying his face in his hands. Caesar snaps out of his own trance of staring at Four and looks back at Ash, his ears perking up with concern. Knowing well how he feels and how to solve it, Four smiles a bit to herself.

"Well," she begins. "I happen to know exactly what happened."

\-----

Processing all that had occurred in a mere two days is a challenge for Kouji. It feels as if only minutes ago, Hunter, Oliver and Maya were there for supper, and everyone was just fine. Now, Oliver lies in the pelts on the floor, a bloody patch covering his right eye. Hunter solemnly stares at him from the corner of the room as Kouji rummages through his supplies.

"What's wrong, dude?" Kouji asks. "I know it's rough, but you seem… pretty down by all of this."

"I just feel bad," says Hunter. "I mean… chances are, I could've probably stopped this from happening."

"Don't even get fucking started on that 'it's all my fault' bullshit," Kouji scolds. "You kicked ass and carried him home. You did great and I know it."

Hunter chuckles lightheartedly.

"Thanks, bro," he says with a peaceful sigh.

"Everything will be fine," says Kouji reassuringly. "I mean… he lost an eye, but… Actually, I just realized I haven't checked up on that."

"Maya was the one who said his eye was gone," Hunter says. "I can trust that."

"Yeah, but there could be an infection or something," Kouji reminds him as he approaches Oliver and kneels beside him.

Ever so carefully, Kouji lifts the patch off of Oliver's face…

"... Hey, what the fuck?"

"What's wrong?" Hunter asks.

"Well, first of all, it's not bleeding anymore," Kouji explains. "Secondly… there's like… oh wait, maybe this is for cleaning the wound? Wait… this is a… nah, it couldn't be…"

"Dude, just say it already!" Hunter says impatiently.

"There's a leaf in here," Kouji begins. "But it's like… a weeping willow leaf. I don't remember seeing any of those around here, did you?"

"Not that I can recall," Hunter responds. "I mean… those trees are pretty… pretty. I think I'd remember if I saw one. Mel was the one who treated him, so maybe they brought some leaves from wherever they came from."

"I don't remember willow leaves having any medical benefits," Kouji admits. "I mean, I could be wrong. Not to mention, even if they did bring them from somewhere, it would've had to be like, yesterday, cuz this leaf looks fresh as hell. It looks like it hasn't even been plucked, and it's like… completely covering the wound."

"You're dicking with me," Hunter scoffs.

"No, I'm dead serious, dude!" Kouji pleads. "I-I dunno what to make of it…"

Hunter watches as Kouji observes the apparent leaf, the look in his eyes insisting that he spoke the truth. Whether this thing was intended to heal or hurt Oliver, neither can be sure, but it is certainly something they should watch over carefully.

"Maybe just put a clean bandage over it?" Hunter suggests.

"I'll do that," Kouji agrees. "You should get August over here."

"Oh god," Hunter sighs. "Poor bastard's gonna bawl…"

Kouji makes no comment, standing to continue looking for supplies for the patch. His expression is grim, as if he's doubting his claims that everything will indeed be okay… Hopefully, it's just a sign of concern. Without another word, Hunter turns and leaves the hut, making his way towards August's shelter. It has been a while since Hunter last went out alone at night, as he'd usually come back by sundown and rest after a long day of working. The last time he was out this late on his own was when he first found Oliver and August asleep in the forest, and even he can't remember exactly when that was. Knowing everything that happened to Oliver, and that the people who did that to him are most certainly looking for them… he feels quite vulnerable. Any whisper of wind makes him glance around and quicken his pace, never freeze in place. Shaking away the feeling, he approaches August's home, gently pushing the pelt door aside…

It only breaks his heart a tiny bit to see August, lying asleep on his crummy little bed and holding a folded pelt close to him. He looks… lonely. Although he is sleeping, his expression frowns ever so slightly, his face half buried into the pelts. Catching himself staring, Hunter blinks away his sorrow's control, proceeding to gently place his hand on August's shoulder.

"Hey, August," he whispers. "We're back, wake up."

August squeaks and groans softly, pulling his hand over his face and drowsily rubbing his eyes. 

"W-What...?" he yawns.

"It's me, Hunter," Hunter says. "I need you to get up."

August opens his eyes, looking at Hunter with a disgruntled expression.

"Why…?" he asks. "Good god… what time is it…?"

"Please…" Hunter says almost desperately. "Oliver needs you."

Eyes widening, a burst of energy runs through August as he grabs Hunter's arm to help pull himself to his feet.

"What happened?!" he asks in a frantic tone.

"It's okay, it's okay," Hunter says reassuringly. "He just needs your comfort."

August nods slowly, proceeding to follow Hunter back to Kouji's hut. August nearly rushes ahead of Hunter, eager to see Oliver, yet still limited to his movement having just woken up. It doesn't take long for them to arrive at this pace, and when August enters…

"He's okay! He's fine!" Kouji insists as he finishes applying the new patch. "He's just hurt, we figured that… you know… you could make him feel better."

Kouji steps away from Oliver, allowing August to kneel beside him. Seeing Oliver like this… how could this have happened so quickly…?

"Let's give them space…" Kouji whispers to Hunter.

Hunter quietly agrees and leaves beside Kouji, letting a slight chilling breeze into the room when they brush aside the door. Oliver twitches, his eye opening ever so slightly…

"Hey," August whispers softly. "I… I'm sorry about what happened…"

"... August…?" Oliver croaks out as he looks up at him. "... Where am I…?"

"Back home," August says. "Everyone else is home too."

As August begins to settle down beside him, Oliver sits up, feeling around his new eyepatch.

"Aw hell…" he breathes. "That hurt."

"What happened to your eye?" August asks. "Do you remember?"

"Of course I do," Oliver sighs. "Well, long story short, we didn't find the rock, but we found those big guys Victoria had been talking about, and this girl started an ambush that I uhh… I guess I decided to jump in on. I got shot right as I was about to kill the leader too! Bastards…"

"You're taking this pretty easily," August says. "I'm actually kinda glad."

"Well, it wasn't the first time I've been shot," Oliver says.

"How do you know that?" August asks. "I thought none of us re-"

August felt his heart skip a beat.

"Wait!" he exclaims. "Did you remember your past?!"

"Shush, not so loud!" Oliver hisses. "I've been thinking about it a lot, and yeah, I sure as hell remember…"

"W-Was I there?" August whispers.

"No," Oliver answers. "But… I think it's about time you learn a little more about me."

Oliver tells August everything he can remember, his parents, his siblings, his love for nature, his mother's illness and death… everything is here. August is silent the entire time, no questions asked, just being there to listen, taking it all in. He finds Oliver's gardening stories to be quite adorable, how romantically he describes the bleeding hearts and his admiration for them. He shows true passion, and as he recalls the happy memories, he can't help but smile. August knows he's strong, and with that, he feels more relaxed about Oliver taking care of himself, even after his injury. 

"There's just one detail I left out when I told Maya and Hunter though," Oliver continues as his voice drops to a whisper. "I wasn't sure if bringing it up was a good idea…"

"I promise not to tell anyone," August says reassuringly.

Oliver looks away, preparing himself silently to tell the truth to August… He almost can't believe he is actually trusting him, but… there's something about him that tells him that he can.

"My dad couldn't keep everyone fed and pay the bills with everything he earned from his own job," Oliver begins. "With Cecil and Fable still too young to be home alone, I'd walk them to school every day and then go to work at a flower shop. It was the best I had, and everything actually went great for the most part…"

Oliver's gaze turns closer to August, his eye starting to shine with nearing tears…

"I was the only one working when it was robbed," Oliver continues with a choking voice. "I… I tried to stop them. I don't know why I thought I could, but… th-they threw me against the wall, the flower pots just crashing onto me a-and… they… they shot me…"

Oliver sniffles and shivers as the memories come flooding back to him, his head hanging down in shame…

"All I could think about was my family," he weeps. "I-I left them behind. I failed. Hell, I almost did it again! I nearly got myself killed, and I would've left you and everyone else behind… but… what if I'm actually dead? What if this is the afterlife? What if I'm in a coma right now and… you… y-you're not real…?"

Oliver shakes his head, his arms crossed as he tries to stop himself from crying. He didn't deserve this… he didn't deserve a third chance… He nearly failed twice… why would he receive this opportunity? Is this even another chance? What is reality? Is this a dream? What's the truth? Why is any of this happening? How does it feel to be alive or dead? 

Suddenly, he feels a tender touch upon his cheek that gently turns his face to August, who smiles at him lovingly as he wipes away his tears.

"It's okay," he says softly. "I know it's hard, but… I'll be here for you no matter what, whether I'm real or just part of your imagination."

"A-Are you saying you're not real…?" Oliver asks timidly as he reaches up and holds August's hand.

"No, no," August chuckles lightheartedly. "I certainly feel real, but… what do I know? If I am part of your imagination, you certainly have a beautiful one, making the land we live in."

"Oh I… I don't think I could do that," Oliver hums as he calms and lowers his hand. "But… still, I don't think my imagination could… oh, that's a dumb one. Am I really gonna say it? Yeah, I'm gonna say it. No no no, I'm not gonna say it… Well…"

"What is it?" August asks with innocent curiosity, retracting his hold.

Oliver blushes lightly, awkwardly averting his eye. 

"I don't think my imagination could create something as pretty as you," Oliver blurts out. "Ah, shit I said it."

August takes in a silent gasp as Oliver hides his face in his sweater. He can feel his face burning up and his heart pounding as he resists the urge to smother Oliver with love. Clearing his throat, he takes the initiative to continue the conversation.

"You're prettier," he accidentally says. "Oh… wait-"

"Oh hell no!" Oliver snaps as he looks up at him with his cute little grumpy face. "You're not catching me in that infinite loop!"

"Infinite, you say?" August purrs.

"Fuck!" Oliver growls in embarrassment.

"Oh, it's too soon for that," August flirts.

"Wait! No! I didn't mean-!"

August laughs as Oliver lets out a deep, flustered sigh.

"I'm just messing with you," August says. "Don't worry about it, it's fi-"

Without warning, Oliver jumps at August and wraps his arms around him, burying his face into his chest. Somehow, even after all of this time, it still catches August by surprise, and makes his heart leap with joy. He lovingly embraces him, nuzzling the top of his head and giving him little kisses.

"I love you so much," he coos. "You have no idea…"

"... I love you too," Oliver mutters.

It seems that they finally found the best comfort they can with each other.


	23. Day 22 - October 6th

"I find it strange for you of all people to bring so many newcomers home."

Maya has been just waiting for Marie to say that. She knew she would. Yesterday, when everyone introduced themselves to the newcomers, Marie was oddly quiet, her look and tone suggesting that she definitely had something to discuss but refused to reveal just yet. Clearly, what has just been said was what she had in mind.

"I used to be worried about that, to be honest," Maya begins as she turns to face Marie. "I actually still am. Feeding everyone is going to be difficult, but I think Victoria, Tamako, Oliver and I can handle it. Each person helps us all out one way or another."

"Winter is coming, you know," Marie says. 

Marie remains unfazed. She sounds like a mother passive-aggressively attempting to change the mind of their child, questioning their decision. Whether Marie has a looming shadow that lingers high above Maya or not, she cannot be entirely sure, but Marie's whole delivery of her thoughts certainly made Maya feel patronized regardless of intent.

“That's what I'm worried about…” Maya says. “But I know what I did was right. With us being hunted by those cultists, we'll need as many allies as we can get.”

“Cultists?!”

It dawns on Maya that she hadn’t actually mentioned to Marie that the enemies were cultists.

“The 'brutes' that Victoria was talking about,” Maya explains. “They have all of this essence that turns people into animals… or worse. Mel said that they're doing it to worship some god.”

“… Ah…” Marie hums somberly to herself as her gaze focuses on the sky.

“What's wrong?” Maya asks.

“Well, I'm just thinking,” Marie says as she looks at Maya. “That essence is… magical, right?”

“Who knows,” Maya says with a shrug. “It's probably some strange miracle of science.”

“What I'm saying is, if it is magic, wouldn't it make sense that the god exists?” Marie asks.

“Perhaps,” Maya says. “But that's the least of my worries right now.”

“But Maya,” Marie protests. “This could be an opportunity to find out who we truly are! Don’t you want to know where you came from?”

“I need to keep everyone fed, sheltered, and alive!” Maya snaps. “You and Chet can worry about the religious stuff. I'll stay here and deal with what's real.”

Marie goes quiet, lingering on the statement. Clearly, Maya doesn’t want to have anything to do with the cultists, perhaps she doesn’t even care what her past life was… does she?

“It's just a matter of maintaining the balance,” Maya continues.

“It's the only option we have…” Marie mutters.

“It's the only right option.” Maya says sternly.

Marie’s heart sinks as Maya stares into the pond’s rippling water. Oh, poor Maya, she hasn’t been the same since she came home. The battle seems to have… darkened her personality. There must be something that Marie doesn’t know yet. 

What the hell happened out there?

\-----

After the bustle of yesterday's errands, today remains somewhat quiet for Victoria and Tamako. The two of them have been staying close, trying to work together and abolish the awkwardness of their dissonance, which they've both agreed to put behind them as much as they could. Now, they are familiarizing themselves with the newcomers, listening to each other's stories and gathering information to combat whatever threat lies beyond the horizon. Together in the cave, Tamako and Victoria sit in front of Leona while Mel rests in the back beside Nimble, who is asleep. The two huntresses stare in awe as the cherub-like girl holds out her bow with a sweet smile.

"I really only used it because I had to," she says. "I'm more interested in being an artist, like maybe helping your um… clothes maker. I don't remember what they're called… tailleur…"

"A tailor," Victoria says graciously. "And yer too kind to give this to us…"

"We are forever grateful!" Tamako cheers as Leona hands her the bow.

"Oh, it's nothing," Leona giggles.

"I'm just glad to hear that old bastard's dead," Victoria says. "He was a rotten one, creepy fucker."

"Careful around the child," Leona whispers.

"Oh, right," Victoria gasps. "I'm terribly sorry."

"You're lucky that the young boy sleeps," Tamako says. "Had he not, tainted he would be!"

"Well don't wake him up, lassy," Victoria mutters playfully.

The three of them whisper their laughter as Mel glares at them from the other side of the cave, their arms pulling a sleeping Nimble closer to their chest. The child squeaks lightly, his now fed body rolling over and gently grasping onto the fabric of his caretaker's shirt. His soft, stuttering breaths nearly put Mel at ease as they return their gaze to his face, his mouth agape ever so slightly. 

"Ah, I feel bad for the poor lad," Victoria sighs as her laughter dies away. "All of that essence into one little tiny body… it made him go blind, for goodness sake."

"What creature was used to experiment with him?" Tamako asks.

"A whole bunch, apparently," says Leona. "I can't remember exactly what though…"

"Hyena, bat and sloth," Mel chimes in with an answer.

The girls look up at Mel, turning their curious questions towards them.

"Why those?" Victoria asks. "It sounds like an awful odd bunch."

"The jaws of a hyena," Mel begins. "The hearing of a bat, and the claws of a sloth."

"As well as the blindness of a bat," Leona adds. "The sleepiness of a sloth, and the voice of a hyena."

"The voice…?" Victoria questions hesitantly.

"It's not as bad as it may seem," says Mel. "When he speaks, he sounds pretty normal. It's more of… his cry."

"I wonder if I'll ever have the honor of hearing it," Tamako hums.

"Hearing that cry is like that of a banshee," Mel replies darkly. "It only means certain doom… or he's using echolocation."

"Ye wanna know what's weird?" Victoria interrupts. "Why is it that Caesar got all fu- er, messed up when he got the essence in his blood, but Nimble looks like a normal human?"

"Nimble's essence is idle," Mel explains. "Often times if a cultist is hunting someone, they use activated essence to infect someone so that they are easier to find if they get away. Some blood is of animals that are not native here, which is less difficult to track than those that are."

"And with Caesar being a lynx," Tamako says. "That makes it nearly impossible for the cultists to relocate!"

"As long as he didn't wander to far, you should be fine," Leona says.

Tamako laughs uneasily, recalling the struggles of how long it took to convince Caesar to stay in the settlement without leaving every night. 

"The presence of the foreign blood proves that the operations have been underway before the cultists even arrived on the island," Mel continues. "God knows how long they've been at work… but surely they have spread far and wide."

"I take it you don't recall your past either?" Tamako asks.

"Not a thing," Mel says. "All I know is that… fire is not something I am fond of. I have no idea as to why."

"I'm the only one that remembers anything," Victoria sighs. "Besides Oliver, of course."

"Poor Oliver," Leona tuts. "Surely the thing that hit him was an essence pellet. It had to be."

Oddly enough, Tamako is the one who shivers.

"How is essence 'activated' anyway?" Victoria asks.

"That is something we have yet to understand," Mel replies with a sigh. "If we knew, we could probably put an end to this madness."

"Is it possible that anyone who has the essence could somehow help us?" Tamako asks as she grows more timid. "I mean… you know…"

Mel watches as Tamako trails off, her usually haunting gaze softening before she turns to look behind herself anxiously.

"I can't be sure of that," Mel says. "But… I do know that the cultists can tell us everything we need to know."

Nimble lets out a tiny yawn, shivering and snuggling closer to Mel. The hearts of the women melt at the sight, yes, even Tamako, who's a lot sweeter than you may think from her vigorous and daring behavior. It's safe to say that everyone in the settlement has a soft interior, perhaps that's just living as a lost human. Being surrounded by nothing but nature and people they love, all fighting for their lives… it really makes them realize just how delicate they are, how precious their bodies and minds are. Every itch on their skin and drop of blood they shed reminds them that they are alive, and this one life they have to live can be taken away from them so easily. It's crazy how the heart beats on its own, yet they still feel they need to be conscious of it, or that if they think about it hard enough, it will stop. Whatever the future has in store for them, they can't be sure, but they've come this far in life, what could they possibly face to challenge their survivability? It can't possibly be that bad, right?

Right?

No…

Surely… there must be something.

How are they still alive? Do they even know? Who knows.

\-----

The fence, oh god, the fence. We have to finish building this fence!

No! We must take care of ourselves here if we want to survive. It's what the others want for us.

Well, nobody can care for us if they're dead, now finish building this god damn fence!

"Agh, shut up," Ricardio mutters under his breath. "I get it, I get it."

Blinking, he notices his hint of aggression.

"I'm sorry…" he whispers. "I'll build the fence right away, no backtalk."

…

Yes, he once again catches himself talking to... himself.

"Why do I do that?" he asks. "No, wait! I did it again! Just hush now! No, shut up! Jeez, why do I talk like that? Nobody cares about my diction! GAH! Again! Really? Nobody says that! Get with it, man."

"Um…"

Oh dear, that isn't his voice that just spoke. That was…

"Kami!" Ricardio cries out in surprise as he whips around to face her. "H-Hello…!" 

"Hello," Kami says nervously. "Um… are you okay?"

"I'm just fine, thank you," Ricardio says with an almost reassuring smile. "I'm just building this fence and babbling to myself about- Ahhh, it doesn't matter. What brings you here?"

Kami seems to silently translate to herself for a brief moment, her hands held respectfully behind her back.

"I wanted to go for a walk," she says. "I want you to come with me."

Ricardio knows Kami well. She comforts him when he has nightmares, she holds his hand as they walk, he knows that she thinks he's handsome, the two of them share intimate moments… Despite all of this, upon hearing her request, he still can't comprehend it and blushes embarrassingly.

"A-At this hour?" he asks nervously. "Dear, it's so dark out…"

"You have me," she says. "And I have you. It won't be far."

Ricardio takes a deep breath. Well… she is right, after all, but… 

"This is too risky," he sighs. "I don't think my poor heart can take it."

"That's too bad," Kami says. "I guess I'll go alone."

"What?!" Ricardio exclaims. "You can't do that! It's too dangerous! I-... Ohh, you absolutely cheated there, didn't you?"

"I did!" Kami giggles. "Ah, but you don't have to come if you don't want to, but I do think you need to take a break from all of that work you've been doing."

"That's… the whole point of… Nevermind. Let's go."

Defeated yet somewhat relieved, Ricardio proceeds to follow Kami into the thickening trees, the distant sounds of their companions' voices slowly being consumed by the hissing and chirping of cicadas and crickets. Overall, he thought of this as a horrible idea. Why on Earth would Kami wish to roam in the dead of night into a forest full of predators and possibly cultists? Whatever her motive is, surely it cannot possibly outweigh the risks being taken here. He falls behind somewhat while they walk, watching her ponytail gently sway like a pendulum with every step she took. Who knows how long they have roamed before he breaks the silence.

"Your English has gotten a lot better," he says. "It's rather uncanny how quickly it has developed."

"I've been recalling memories," Kami replies. "The more I hear, the more I speak, the more words I remember. I must have talked to many people who spoke English."

"Anything vivid?" Ricardio asks.

"Only something of machines," Kami says as her pace slows somewhat. "Occasional laughter from the break room, the scent of coffee, the somber-colored cubicles and the gentle ringing of phones."

Ricardio's heart quickens its pace. How could someone who struggles with English like her say something so… interesting and almost poetic about an environment so mundane? As strange as it sounded… he likes it a lot. Not only is her diction remarkable, but her voice is soft, delicate and soothing like the whispering wind. Now, he's more curious about it, and with a desire to hear her speak more, encourages her.

"It sounds like you worked in a sort of office building," Ricardio comments as he catches up to walk beside her. "What else do you know?"

"I was about to ask you that," Kami says. "I don't remember anything else."

That was the last thing Ricardio wanted to hear. He doesn't want to admit anything about what he remembers. It's all too much for him to think about without tears…

"I can't tell you," he sighs. "It's-… it's not that I don't remember, it's just… I don't think I can handle it."

An icy shiver pierces through Ricardio as he feels Kami's hand gingerly grasp his own, a tension in his chest twisting and his heart quivering in surprise. The two of them soon come to a halt, and hesitantly, he looks at her, seeing a promising, friendly glimmer in her eyes. Her face is soft yet sincere, and once again, like she always does, she brings about the feeling of comfort and safety. 

"Maybe it will make you feel better to talk about it?" she suggests. "You've been locking up whatever it is for so long…"

It is as if her words yanked his own out of his mouth.

"All I remember is that I was always fighting with someone," Ricardio blurts out. "So much yelling, so much pain… I just wanted to be understood."

"Were they your parents?" Kami asks.

"Most likely," Ricardio reluctantly sighs. "Almost every night, I have dreams of our fights growing worse than what the memories tell me. I never imagined them striking me in any way, but… these nightmares, our bouts grow to fistfights, and… claws… No matter what, I am always the loser."

"'Claws?'" Kami repeats. "Were you hit by that essence that everyone is talking about?"

"N-No!" Ricardio exclaims. "It's been like this ever since my first night in this land. I haven't won once. I'm always left scarred."

Kami hums thoughtfully to herself, staring down at the ground and tapping her fingers against her arms as she crosses them.

"Strange," she says. "But regardless, the dreams you're having may be a key to solving these mysteries we face."

"You mean about the essence?" Ricardio asks.

"I mean about why we're all here," Kami says almost darkly.. "Think about it; what kind of destiny brings us here together with only our identities and knowledge of the world we've learned, but never how we learned these things?"

"W-What are you on about?" Ricardio demands anxiously. "I-I don't know anything, I swear!"

"Relax," Kami says. "This isn't a matter of persuasion, it's a matter of time."

"Then what are we here for?" Ricardio impatiently questions. "I was working, Kami!"

Kami gives Ricardio a stern look, making him back down from his miniature outburst almost immediately.

"I've been talking with the others, specifically Tamako, Victoria, Chet and Ash," Kami explains. "So far, the only people among us who clearly recall their past and have admitted it are Victoria and Oliver. The memories were triggered by something happening that was associated with them. Victoria remembered her girlfriend with the seashell necklace, and Oliver-"

A twig snaps behind Kami, and they both freeze. Though there was no wind, it feels as if a chilling gust has dried the air, and Ricardio's skin crawls with dread...

"... I must tie my shoe," Kami says monotonously. "Please, pardon me."

Slowly, she falls to one knee, and reaches down for her shoe, only she doesn't reach for any lace, rather she cautiously lifted her foot from her shoe, and withdrew something from the bottom of it…

"Ricardio, listen to me," she whispers as she stands upright. "Tell them that the fence won't work anymore."

"W-Why…?" Ricardio stutters out softly.

"Because," she says. "They're already here."

It all happens so fast. Kami shoves Ricardio aside and leaps at a figure that was behind him, burying the blade of a knife into their chest.

"RICARDIO, RUN!!!" she screams.

Something about what he saw immediately threw aside any argument he was considering, all reluctancy vanishes as his body begins to carry him swiftly down the path towards home, his heart and head pounding with every gush of burning blood through his veins. Time has frozen, yet it flies by so quickly, and terror has taken control. He ceases to slow as the traps spring, a tall, burning tree falling into his path. There is no stopping now. Everyone is counting on him. Life and death on the line, and ignoring the scorching pain, he leaps through the flames, landing onto the drying leaves as fire follows his footsteps. There is no time to stop now, there is no turning back, there is no other option but to run…

… and yet, he stops...

… or rather, he is stopped.

The burning, itching, forceful grasp of a rope latches onto Ricardio's neck, pulling him backwards with a mighty strength. His lungs scream for air as the ropes clench around his throat, and no matter how hard he pulls, they cannot be resisted. Suddenly, his eyes grow wide, his soul gaining strength as the truth floods into his mind, the forceful tugs encouraging him towards the enemy, and yet...

The roaring voices echo in his mind, the bright, hot lights from the sky shining down upon the tiny dancer, the thunderous rumble of a thousand hands, a pain in his heart as his life inches closer and closer to the end, and in the heat of the moment…

The beast is unleashed. In raging fury, he turns and tackles the new figure behind him, his fists flying at their face as he releases an unholy screech of fury from his chest. He can see the claws from his nightmares as blood spills and splatters when they both crash to the ground with his blazing wrath. The forest around them quivers as the flames grow higher, the satisfying smell of burning wood and smoke swirling around them as Ricardio deals the killing blow.

Finally, it has happened.

The battle has been one, and even as Ricardio falls to the ground with physical exhaustion, adrenaline still surges through him, more than his body can handle. His arms are lifted, and he is being dragged away. Maybe, just maybe, he will be given a more powerful body to work with. This one… who cares! He doesn't care anymore. He has given up with this one. It is far too little for far too much. In the meantime, he will bask in the light of his vulgar victory.

Ricardio has finally won the battle of his nightmares. It is a dream come true.


	24. Day 23 - October 7th

"Angel! Wake up!"

Maya groans as something forcefully nudges her arm, begging her to rise from slumber.

"What…?" she whispers as she rubs her eyes. "Who is it…?"

"Canzanilla," calls a different voice. "There's a fire, we must leave at once!"

As Maya's eyes shoot open, Four lifts her by her arms to her feet. The smell of burning bark finally reaches her, and she bolts to stand beside Mel, Nimble and Four in the cave entrance. The forest is ablaze, the dying darkened silhouettes of shelters alight with waving warm flames as they crumble to the ground. A flurry of fear freezes Maya in place as she stares into the fire.

"Marie and Hunter are gathering the others," Mel says. "We must hurry away before the flames reach this side."

"R-Right," Maya chokes out. "But… I need to get my basket first."

Maya does not wait for any note of approval or resistance from her companions as she rushes back inside, quickly snatching up her basket and any other belongings they may need. She has shaken away the floating feeling of a dream and accepted that this is indeed reality. There is no time to linger on memories, there is only time for action.

"Angel!" Nimble calls. "Please hurry up!"

Maya still doesn't know why Nimble refers to her as "Angel," but she considers it as just another nickname of hers as she runs to the sides of her companions, leading them away from the burning trees. In the near distance, she can hear the cries of her friends as they discover the disaster approaching them.

"What in blazes-?!" Chet screams. "The blazes!!! BLOODY HELL THE BLAZES!!!"

"Dude, relax!" Ash shouts. "Let's just get the fuck out of here!!!"

"Of course this happens right before winter…" Maya growls to herself. "... Guys, I can't go on just yet."

The others stop in their tracks, looking back at Maya in confusion.

"Why not?" Four asks.

"I have to make sure that everyone is okay," Maya says. "I'm their leader. They trust me. It's my responsibility. Just keep running this way, we'll catch up!

Maya doesn't wait for any objections before turning and running back towards the settlement, the wind whistling in her ears as the flaming light grows brighter with each step. Smoke stings at her eyes as she approaches the opening, waving her arms to guide the others on where to go. Ash, Chet and Caesar make their way towards her, Chet glancing back at the fire with almost every other step.

"What the hell could've caused this?!" he cries.

"There's no time to think about that," Maya shouts. "Just follow the others this way."

Caesar whines and looks back towards the burning forest, reluctantly following behind Ash as the three of them walk past Maya as instructed. The flames creep faster towards the other side of the settlement, the doors of danger closing in on them with each passing second. Regardless, Maya remains, calling to her people as her fear of the fire begins to cease in favor of her fight. She counts them as they run past her, Kokona, Leona, August, Oliver, Marie, Hunter… and near the other side, she can see Victoria and Tamako searching for the last two.

"KAAAAAMIIIIII!!!" Victoria screams. "KAMI WHERE ARE YOU!?!?!?"

"RICARDIO, FOR FUCK'S SAKE!!! COME OUT AT ONCE!!!" screeches Tamako. "I CAN'T LOSE YOU AGAIN!!!"

Maya waits, continuing to call and wave her hands. The two huntresses remain, running in circles, risking their own lives looking frantically for their companions. The flames draw closer, the trees toppling towards them, their old bark sparking and crackling as ashes fall like snow from the sky.

Suddenly, there is a blinding flash of light, and a course of terror jolts through Maya as a roar of thunder silences them. She turns, looking up to see blackened clouds billowing towards the fire, pouring down a flood of rainwater with them. Victoria and Tamako hold still, staring up at the sky in awe. Shaking away the paralysis of fear, Maya rushes towards them nearly slipping on the newly wet grass and leaves as she does.

"Have you seen them at all?" Maya asks firmly.

"Not at all," Victoria answers with a quivering voice. "I never saw her after supper."

"The last I saw of Ricky was last night," Tamako says. "It was just before he went to go work on that fence some more…"

"We must keep looking," Maya commands. "We can't leave them behind."

"'Leave?'" Tamako repeats. "What do you mean?"

Maya bows her head.

"We can't stay here," she says. "The cultists are after us."

"Ye reckon they started the fire?" Victoria asks.

"That's exactly what I think," Maya says as she looks up again. "I also doubt that any storm like this would come at such a perfect time…"

The three of them look up into the sky again, large droplets of rain falling onto their faces as the flames begin to cease enough for a path to open.

"Let's go," Maya calls as she turns to the forest. "We have to find them before the cultists do!"

"But what if they've already been found?" Tamako asks.

"Then we fight whoever found them," Maya spits out. "Come on, girls, let's go!"

Maya turns to the trees, her companions following close behind as they fly like the storm above them. Thick droplets of rain fall onto the flames of the forest, darkening the world around them as the misty fog and smoke clouded their vision. Ashes scatter and dead branches collapse, but they cease to falter, the lives of their friends on their minds as their feet found their precision on the treacherous ground. The scent of burning wood settles and the flickering of the dying flames provides what little light they have as the race against time continues.

"Kami?!" Victoria calls. "Kami! Where are you?!"

"Wait! Stop!" Tamako shouts as she halts in place.

Maya and Victoria freeze in their tracks, looking back at Tamako, who stares off into the forest…

"What's the matter?" Maya asks. "Do you see them?"

"It's…"

Tamako seems to be at a loss for words, whatever she was looking at completely petrifying her. Maya and Victoria follow her gaze, wondering what could possibly put her in such a state.

"What… is that…?" Victoria breathes.

There in the dark, hunched over in a defensive stance, stands a large, grey wolf… or at least, it looks somewhat like a wolf. This creature has the body of a wolf, yes, but there is so much more to it. Upon its back are scaly wings, and on its head, two pairs of horns, one of which erects above its forehead, and the other curved to point forwards from the side of its skull. It stares at the women with luminous ocean eyes, baring its teeth in a menacing snarl as its ears fall back. It stands over something, or someone, lying on the ground in a dead, broken heap…

"... No…" Victoria's voice shivers. "No… K-Kami…!"

It is true. The unmistakable flowers of Kami's attire can be seen on the body, crimson blood shining upon her face and over her lifeless eyes that stare into nothingness. She has a look of what used to be horror and despair on her face, a bloody blade in her hand, the body of a fighter killed in combat. In a flash of motion and a heartbroken warcry, Victoria grips her spear and charges at the beast, dead leaves, dirt and ashes flying from each storming footstep she takes. 

"VICTORIA, NO!!!" Tamako screams, taking off after her.

Maya remains motionless. Something about the strange creature leaving her paralyzed as she stares in awe… and perhaps something more, a presence within her...

The beast does not move, piercing its gaze into the challenger's eyes. As she draws closer, the wolf raises its head, its ears perking up, its face softening into an expression of… trust and kindness. Slowly, Victoria comes to a halt, going quiet as she lowers her weapon… Why? What's stopping her from killing this thing that killed her friend?

…

"There is no blood on this beast."

Victoria looks beside her, seeing Tamako standing there, examining the wolf.

"It couldn't have killed Kami," Tamako says. "It's perfectly clean, not a spot of blood on it."

Victoria looks back at the wolf again; Tamako is right, this creature… it looks so clean and kempt, as if it has never even touched the earth. It stares at her with a soft, reassuring gaze. She begins to feel at peace, almost numb, as her weapon falls from her hand. A gentle breeze blows, the singing sound of wind and chimes whispering in her ears, and the world seems to disappear into the clouds…

"V-Victoria…?"

The touch of Tamako's hand upon her shoulder awakens her from her trance, and the wolf once standing there is gone, disappearing as quickly as it had come. Now, in its place…

"Kami?!" Victoria exclaims.

Before Victoria can say another word, Kami suddenly stands, her eyes wide in terror, and she begins to speak… completely in her native language.

"Oi, oi, Kami!" Victoria says hoping to calm her. "It's okay! It's me, Victoria!"

"Tori, be quiet for just a second!" Tamako hushes. 

The sudden snap from Tamako sends a shiver down Victoria's spine. She usually speaks much more elegantly, but here, she sounded… desperate. The two fluent speakers begin exchanging conversation, nothing of which Victoria could understand, yet both of them sounded so hopeless...

"What's she sayin'?" Victoria asks.

Tamako lets out a deep sigh and shakes her head.

"She remembers nothing," Tamako says. "None of us, none of herself, none of this world…"

\-----

The ocean waves vigorously crash against the rocky wall some ways away as Chet watches them alongside Four, lost in space of his own thoughts. What started the fire? Where are Kami and Ricardio? Will Maya, Tamako and Victoria return with them? 

"You're so tense," Four says calmly. "Relax, they'll be fine."

"What makes you say that?" Chet asks defensively. "Everything is just a disaster today… Allow me to worry, won't you?"

"It isn't the end of the world," Four continues. "We'll be able to rebuild eventually."

"My friends could be dead!" Chet snaps. "Just shut up already!"

"You won't last long either with that attitude," Four almost laughs. "Stress can kill, you know."

"Ugh, don't remind me," Chet huffs.

"I mean, look, they're already back," Four says.

Swiftly, Chet turns to look to the forest, and indeed, Maya is leading Tamako, Victoria and Kami towards the beach where the other settlers had been guided by Marie. Upon seeing their arrival, the others rush up to them with thousands of questions loaded in their minds, yet their faces answer a few in silence.

"Where's Ricardio???" Chet asks desperately.

Tamako wipes tears from her eyes.

"We don't know…" she says solemnly. "I… failed…"

"Don't blame yourself for this, Tamako," Maya says calmly. "It's not your fault."

"What are we gonna do now?" Hunter asks. "We lost our architect, maybe Kami can fill in for him until we find him?"

"Kami lost all of her memories," Victoria says loud and clear. "This… This'll sound crazy, but we found her dead. She was resurrected by… whatever that thing was."

While everyone else stands in silent shock and disbelief, Four speaks up.

"What did it look like?" she questions. "Was it a person?"

"A wolf," Tamako says. "Not just any ordinary wolf, however. It had horns and wings, like a dragon. There was something… magical about it."

"It was a god."

Every head turns to look at Maya, who stands with a bold and confident expression upon her face.

"A god?!" Chet repeats. "Surely, you must be joking, hyperbole, you're not serious…"

"I am dead serious," Maya confirms. "What we saw was a god."

A flurry of questions, murmurs and cries flies about the air as the settlers try and comprehend what they heard their leader say.

"I don't feel like I can believe it," Ash whispers to Oliver. "Can you?"

"Not really," Oliver replied. "I mean… I didn't see it, but… those girls don't look well, maybe they were cursed…?"

"You believe in curses, but not in gods?" Ash asks.

"Your boyfriend turned into a lynx, Ashley," Oliver retorts. "I think you can believe in just about anything."

"Okay, fair enough," Ash says. "But what about you?"

"Magic can exist without a god, right?" Oliver suggests. "Then again, we can't really be sure…"

"I just wouldn't fall into her statement until we have solid evidence," Ash says.

"I'll stick with that," Oliver agrees.

"Do you really think that's what happened?" Kokona asks Hunter. "I mean… if it's true, the cultists may actually have a religion that's true!"

"I'd hate if that were the case," Hunter says as he shakes his head. "But dude, look at Kami! She looks like a freaking scared animal, nothing like her old self…"

"Wasn't she close to Ricardio?" Kokona recalls. "Maybe she's just traumatized?"

"That's possible," Hunter agrees. "Though still, we've gotten amnesia once, it's possible to get it again."

"Hey! Miss Maya!" Leona calls over the murmurs. "What are we gonna do now? Rebuild our homes? Hunt the cultists? Find the answer to life?"

The crowd goes quiet as Leona's voice catches their attention.

"We will leave this land," Maya announces boldly. "This is no place for us with the cultists hunting for our people. We will leave upon boats and search for a new home, or perhaps even our old homes that we have forgotten."

"What about Ricardio?" August asks.

"We mustn't think of him now," Maya says sternly. "He may return, and we may search, but if we are ready before he arrives, he will be left behind as part of the past."

Marie squints at Maya, listening closely. Although she agrees with what Maya is saying, something feels… off about her. The way she speaks, the way she looks… it all seems so different now. She is more noble, more brave, more… of a proud leader. Perhaps what she said about the god was true…? 

"We understand," she says to Maya. "We will survive this."

Maya gives her a respectful nod, a small smile upon her face, that aging face with wizened eyes, yet so beautiful to her...

She looks like an angel.


	25. Day 24 - October 8th

It goes without saying; Victoria is a blessing. Even with the architect gone and the carpenter in a, for lack of a better term, practically useless state, Victoria was able to lead the reconstruction of the sea vessel with ease. Hunter and Maya did most of the work with the old big boat that the cultists had left behind, restoring it as best as they could. Even while their eyes may be towards the sea, some of them can't help but look back towards the forest and wonder…

"So… what do you think happened to Ricardio?"

Returning to earth from the realm of his deep thoughts, Oliver looks back at August approaching him.

"What?" he says. "Ricardio? Umm… I dunno… he might be dead."

"Yeah, but like… how?" August asks. "If he is dead, how did he die?"

August sits down beside him, looking where Oliver had just been staring.

"You heard what Maya and the huntresses said," she continues. "Kami was dead, absolutely dead, stabbed by something, and then there was a fire. He just… disappeared."

"... August," Oliver begins with a growing terror in his voice. "Do you think that maybe… Ricardio killed Kami?"

A chill of pain shoots through August's spine as she is unable to imagine the concept as true.

"Fuck no!" August gasps. "He was such a sweetie! I mean… he actually helped me come out and confess to you and everything…"

"But didn't you notice how stressed he was?" Oliver asks. "All of those talks about how all he heard was shouting, how he pushed himself to work harder until he collapsed, how he would sometimes pull out his hair or the bark of trees when he was upset… It worried me a lot, to be honest."

"There was definitely something special about his mind," August says. "He's definitely on the autistic spectrum, which Kouji said explains a lot about his behavior. Still, I don't think Ricardio killed Kami."

"Maybe someday he'll just show up," Oliver says. "After all, he's done it once before."

August nods solemnly, and as Oliver looks closer at her face, tears begin to form in her eyes.

"I guess…" August chokes in an attempt to suppress her emotions. "I just… I'm really upset right now, Oliver… my friend might be... dead for all I know…"

In the blink of an eye, before Oliver can even begin to speak, August has her face in her hands, a heartbroken whine squealing from her throat. 

"Why him?!" she cries. "He was so… sweet! All he wanted to do was help people! I…"

Oliver holds still, unsure whether to speak or not, and if he were to speak, what to say. He did not know Ricardio well, but he knows that he and August were good friends. Seeing his lover like this… hurts. Usually, August is the one comforting Oliver, but…

"... Hey."

It feels natural, wrapping his arms around August. The moment his fingers locked into the embrace, August herself had turned and pulled him close. The gentle touch of August's hand pauses upon the back of his head, fingers running through his hair…

"Good lord," August scoffs as she lets go. "I know you're out in the wild and all, but what's up with your hair?"

"What do you mean?" Oliver asks. 

"It's a lot… drier than usual," August says hesitantly. "Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm fine," Oliver sighs. "You know, your hair has changed a bit too."

"I just let mine grow a bit!" August snaps. "That's nothing in comparison to whatever the hell happened to you."

"Sure, sure," Oliver hums. "Hm…"

Barely even thinking about it, Oliver reaches back and removes his hair tie, letting his dark locks fall to his shoulders. August remains still, staring at him timidly as he gently places the hair tie into her hands.

"Here," he says. "You need it more than I do anyway."

"Oh," August gasps lightly. "Umm… thank you…"

Gingerly, August reaches back and ties her hair into a ponytail, and the heat from her shoulders is lifted.

"How does it look?" she asks.

Oliver glances away, slightly flustered.

"I really like it," he says.

A smile spreads on August's face.  
"Thank you," she hums softly.

"Hey!" a voice calls, interrupting their moment.

The two turn their heads to see Hunter approaching them, covered mostly in sand and splashed with sea water. Despite his messy appearance, he has a big grin on his face. The couple stands up as he draws closer.

"The boat was a lot easier to fix than we thought it was gonna be," Hunter says gleefully. "We'll be tying the rafts to it, and then we'll start going on sea. Could you guys gather up some stuff to take with us?"

"Leave it to me," Oliver volunteers. "We're gonna get the hell outta here."

"At this rate, we should depart by sundown," Hunter says. "Come with me, Maya and Victoria will show you what to do."

\-----

Day 24

I never thought I'd actually be sailing on a boat like this. I always imagined that if I were to ever find myself out at sea, it would be on some little raft or kayak all alone. The forest, our home, had burned, and yet, most of us are still alive. I thought for sure that I was going to die in that fire, yet here I am as the navigator and journalist atop the big ship as we sail to find a new home. Tonight, we'll be using the stars to guide us. We plan to head east away from the island. Maybe we'll finally rediscover society, and find our way home.

I don't remember much of anything of my life before the island. What I do recall has given me the knowledge I need to survive. Something about the stars touches my heart, staring at them brings me solace. I must have been some sort of astronomer, maybe I can bring that back on this adventure. I feel like I should say more about it, but… what can be said? Perhaps watching the others recall their lives has made me jealous…

Even though we just lost our home and friends, some of us seem so hopeful. I can't be sure if Kami was actually being hopeful that Ricardio was still alive, or if she just hated us for whatever reason. She stayed behind on the island, no matter how much Tamako tried to talk her out of it. She just remained silent and walked away, a solemn expression on her face. I'm admittedly scared both for and of her. I honestly don't know what to think. Hell, I don't know what she was thinking. 

As for everyone else, they seem mostly hopeful about the whole situation. Victoria and Hunter are especially optimistic, as I've noticed. They seem… happy, almost. I think they like the thrill of the adventure. The newcomers are indifferent to it, perhaps save for Kokona and Leona, who are offering to play music for us quite often. Maya has been denying it for the most part… boy, has she changed. Ever since the fire, she hasn't been the same at all, so sincere and rigid. That's not the Maya I know… 

What if it isn't Maya at all? 

I can't be sure, but I'll be keeping a close eye on her and everyone else. I won't be surprised if one way or another, we don't all come out alive. I pray that I survive against the odds… but even then, with these claims of seeing God, can I be so sure of my beliefs? 

Who is God anyway?


	26. The Journal of Chet Perez

Day 25

My hopes are high today, the water is fast and constantly keeping the crew moving. As I'm jostled around down here in my quarters, I can hear Victoria calling out to everyone to steer. Oddly enough, it sounds like less of a dangerous struggle and more like the team is actually having fun navigating through the rising waves. I'm trying my best to not get seasick, but even then, there's a bit of excitement coming from all of this. I'm just glad that I don't have to hoist the sails, I don't think I'd be able to. I may not be strong, but I sure as hell know that my friends are. 

We've been through so much this past month, what could possibly stop us now? We are the unlikely survivors, constantly cheating death. Honestly… I wonder if our luck will run out, and if so, when? Maybe I shouldn't worry about it right now, I might jinx it, but... We all die someday, you know?

-

Today turned out to be a pretty good and quiet day. We can no longer see the island on the horizon… or much of anything, really. I haven't seen the ocean at night in so long, it really is beautiful. I remember being with my grandpa there. We had gone to the beach at night, and it was quite cold, even for summertime. I miss those days.

Wait.

I think I need to talk to somebody about what just happened.

-

Ah, I checked around, they're all asleep. I don't want to disturb them. Judging by the position of the moon, it must be near midnight. I think I should probably go to sleep myself. Dorothy is actually here in my quarters, sound asleep. She doesn't snore at all, I almost completely forgot that she was even here. 

I should sleep now. I look forward to writing again.

Day 26

Something amazing happened today.

Maya finally allowed Kokona to play some music, and oh, did we desperately need it. I never realized that it's possible to become deprived of music, perhaps there's a way to become addicted to it? Who knows. Anyway, Kokona started playing her music on a drum Ash made for her, and when she started singing, Hunter, Ash, August and Caesar- Yes, Caesar! - started singing along in perfect sync. They all knew the song! Kokona had recalled it from muscle memory, and the next thing you know, they all regained their memories! 

You see, they were in a sort of musical group together, and they went around performing for fun. Kokona claims to have been the founder when she met Hunter and got in touch with her childhood friends Ash and August. Ash had convinced Caesar to join. I see, there WAS a connection between them! I feel like this is a eureka moment here! Hm, I wonder, have I ever felt a strong connection to anyone here…?

No, no I cannot. Surely. 

Kokona and the others have refused to say more. The last I saw them, they were sort of huddled together with drinks, whispering to each other. Part of me wishes to know what they're on about, but I know I should mind my own business, even though I may be the journalist of the group. 

I'm about to die.

-

Never mind. I heard the door open and a growl and just assumed whatever it was it planned to kill me, but I'm okay. It was just Caesar coming to say hi. At least, that was it seems. I didn't know he was capable of opening doors, unless someone opened the door for him. He seemed pretty happy, stayed for a couple minutes, and then left. Gave me a good scare there. 

Well, good night. Hopefully I'll be alive tomorrow to write again.

Day 27

There's something strange about the air today. Everyone seems… off. Maya is a lot more quiet than she usually is. She just keeps staring at the cloudy sky or out into the ocean. She was so close to the edge, it scares me. I told Mel and Kouji to keep an eye on her. 

Now that I really think about it, I'm starting to wonder a lot more about our connections. I talked to Dorothy about the memory I recently regained, and she said that I should write it down and see if I can make it go anywhere to reveal any new information. I noticed that when she said this, she placed her hand over her heart. Hold on, I'm sorry, over the right side of her chest, as if her heart was there. I don't know if that means anything, but she seemed to go a bit somber when she did it. I'll brush it off for the time being.

My grandfather and I were driving down to the beach at night. When we arrived, there was nobody there but us. It was strange seeing the moon's light reflecting in the dark water. It was like staring into the void, but it wasn't really the void. There is no void, it's only the ocean. That's what it's been all along. We walked far out onto the sand. It was very cold, despite it being summer. I could see the stars so clearly, and we stared up and found constellations. I remember Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, Draco, Hercules and Lynx. We also saw the shining Vega and Saturn. 

I'm quite shocked by how many of these little details I can recall of this, it's like it happened yesterday. I wonder what else I'll recall when I continue my writing later.

-

I updated Dorothy on what I had remembered from her suggestion. She was glad to hear that the tactic worked, and she made yet another: Why not sit out tonight and see the stars? The sky is so clear tonight. I couldn't help but agree to it. We settled down on the dock while everyone else quietly paced about with their shifts. The first things I noticed were Draco, Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. At first, I thought, "Oh look, those constellations, I saw them in my memory," and then nothing more, but I realized, is it possible that where we are now is close to where I was in that memory? I thought, maybe, but I didn't see any of the other constellations I had mentioned before. Then, it occurred to me; can't those three be seen from all across the northern hemisphere? I could be anywhere in this hemisphere. At least now I know that we are north of the equator for sure. I figured as such judging by the weather, but you know, I never actually paused to think about it…

I may be far from home, yet I did somewhat enjoy my time with Dorothy. I asked her if she remembered anything from stargazing, but she said that her mind was "left blank." She then got up, said goodnight, and left for her watch shift. I'm alone here tonight. I feel restless, even after a long day. I just have so many questions about everything, especially myself… I can barely write what I'm writing now. I fear the quality may lack because of it, but hopefully it will get the point across. These calm ocean waves are practically lulling me to sleep, but those stars outside hold answers to my past, and I must know. I should stop writing before I

Day 28

… fall asleep. Yes, I fell asleep working on that last entry. I'm very tired today. Simply writing this is draining my energy. What happened last night? Everything feels… worse. My body, my brain, my emotions, even the people around me seem to be suffering. Are we sick? Are we dying? Hopefully we will feel better later.

-

I can't believe I'm actually bothering. Absolutely nothing happened today. It's all just water. There's nothing here. My hands and wrists hurt, everything hurts. My head hurts. I feel nauseous and I can't think straight. I want so badly to continue writing down my memories. Come on now... I must try.

My grandfather and I spent hours out there, or at least it felt like that. He was getting tired, he could barely walk. I held his hand as we started to head back to the car to go home. I offered to drive…

I see. I wasn't a child. I was driving. Yes, I had a license and everything. When did this happen?

He got in the front passenger seat, and the moment the car's engine began to purr, he fell asleep. I reclined his seat to be more comfortable, and I kept driving. The roads were quiet, I saw few headlights… so few headlights. I'm scared. Wait! My right foot just kicked, why am I writing this down? I'm going insane. No no no, I must keep writing. We drove to a road that had no streetlights. It was very dark. I put on the high beams. I was becoming increasingly worried, looking for the reflective eyes of animals on the side of the road. I saw no other headlights. None. Just mine. Then… I saw headlights, but they weren't on. They were right in front of me. I could see someone else in that big black car. I could see their face. They looked horrified. 

That's it? I can't remember anything else after that. I'm going to bed. Maybe something will occur to me.


	27. Day 29 - October 13th

How can one be so parched when all around them is water? North, south, east, west, above, below, and yet, they suffer. The water tosses them about and drenches them, the wind blows raindrops into their eyes, the salty air stinging their wounds. All awaken to a warning storm, a darkened sky looming over the nearing horizon with the dawning sun's light burning bright behind it, begging to be freed. Standing on the fo'c'sle of the ship is Victoria, staring down the storm with an almost longing glare as the wind flows through her drying ginger hair. Her moment of contemplation is suddenly interrupted by a bringer of bad news.

"It's just one thing after another," Hunter sighs as he approaches her side. "Which way should we go?"

"Anywhere away from the storm..." Victoria begins. "... except backwards."

"I'll steer north, then," Hunter says. "Oh, I should inform you, uh…"

Victoria turns to look at Hunter with a soft yet somehow demanding gaze. He pauses, processing how to word the disappointing news.

"Oliver isn't exactly feeling well," he continues. "In fact, a lot of people aren't feeling well. Something is wrong with everyone…"

"What do ye mean?" Victoria asks. 

"They're just so… depressed? I guess?" Hunter says uneasily. "They're in their beds, laying there and saying they're hopeless and can't do anything. Some of them are even physically ill."

"Who?" Victoria demands. "Who's ill and depressed?"

"Oliver and August have some kind of sickness, or at least Oliver does," Hunter explains. "Kouji said that he has some joint pain and a wheezing cough, among a few other things. He's just sleeping now…"

"And what of August?"

"He seems to be on the more depressed side than sick."

Victoria lets out a deep sigh and turns her focus back to the sea.

"I refuse to give up," she says firmly. "I will get back to my home. I will return to my family."

Gently, she clutches the seashell necklace around her neck.

"Oh, Millie…" she whispers longingly.

"Oh that's right, your girlfriend," Hunter says uneasily. "I remember you talking about her…"

Victoria holds the moment captive in silence, a strange lingering tension of sadness, fear and uncertainty. Her mind forces itself to look away from the thoughts of Millie and speak, asking a question to the reserved man beside her.

"And what about you?" she asks as she looks his way. "Ye don't talk much 'bout yer own past, do ye?"

"Oh, me?" Hunter stifles a laugh. "Eh, my past life was pretty lame."

"You were in a band!" Victoria exclaims. "How was that 'lame,' eh?"

"I dunno," Hunter says. "I just do things cuz I'm alive… or at least I was. My death was pretty stupid."

"Death?" Victoria repeats. "Ye really think yer dead?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Hunter almost laughs. "There was an explosion, and then I woke up on an island with no memory of anything. This isn't Hell or Heaven, it's just the afterlife."

"Well, I'm certainly not dead," Victoria scoffs in disbelief. "I will get home."

"Are you sure?" Hunter asks. "I mean… you might be dead, judging by your story."

"I am not dead!" Victoria snaps. "I may have seen a ghost, but that doesn't mean I'm dead."

"Don't you mean you saw a god?" Hunter questions.

"No, I'm pretty sure it was a ghost," Victoria says. "Tamako seemed so calm around it. Besides, it messed with Maya's head."

"Then how do you explain Kami coming back to life?"

"Yer a stubborn one, aren't ye?" Victoria growls. "Easy enough; that was Kami's ghost. She just went back to her body."

"Then why did she not remember you?"

"She did before she went back to her body!"

"Why didn't she just die?!"

"Because she didn't want to!"

"Who the hell wants to die?!"

"Ricardio!"

Suddenly, the burning anger has dropped to an ice cold fear. With the shadows of dread creeping in, Victoria's heart sank as she realized that she had broken her promise. In this moment, Hunter can practically read her like a book.

"... What are you hiding?" he asks as Victoria takes a step back.

"L-Listen," she stutters. "I cannaey tell ye anything! I kept a promise!"

"With who?"

"That's none of yer business," Victoria growls. 

"None of my business?" Hunter scoffs. "Hell, I dunno if I can even trust you!"

"What could I possibly do to you?" Victoria asks. 

"You're one of those god damn cultists aren't you!" Hunter shouts. "Actually, you know what? That makes a lot of sense!"

"What the hell are you on about?" Victoria snaps. "We have a more important issue to deal with anyway."

Rolling her eyes as Hunter continues and follows her, Victoria briskly walks towards the steering wheel of the ship.

"If anything, it explains why the cultists have been after us," Hunter says. "You said you came from them after all!"

"They enslaved me," Victoria spits as she approaches the wheel. "Kami and I were one of the many people that the cultists kicked around to do their dirty work. I have seen the monsters they create… Aye, we even have on amongst us. Maybe even two or three if you count the others who've been infected."

With a strong swing, Victoria spins the wheel to aim to boat north, turning away from the storm ahead.

"Fine fine, sure sure," Hunter huffs. "So what about Ricardio? What makes you say he wanted to die?"

"You couldn't tell?" Victoria says. "Poor lad practically hated himself, had nightmares, doubted himself… sometimes I saw him standing out by the pond, just staring…"

"Then why was it such a big deal when you told me, huh?" Hunter asks.

"I wasn't supposed to tell anyone," Victoria answers quietly. "I had made a promise to not tell anyone…"

"With Ricardio?" 

"With me."

Hunter and Victoria's heads snap over to see Tamako walking towards them, a sincere expression on her face. Victoria nearly cowers behind the wheel as she draws closer.

"Kami told me about how Ricardio was acting," she says. "I was the only one she could fluently speak to. She told me that he was waking up in the middle of the night, cold sweat, panicking…"

Victoria tightens her grip on the wheel as she stares out towards the crashing ocean waves ahead, trying to focus as Tamako's presence pulls Hunter away from her. There is a threatening, ominous presence lingering in the air as Tamako slowly paces in circles around Hunter as she tells her story, only pausing occasionally out of his view.

"Victoria, Kami and I gathered a small meeting between us and Ricardio for more information," Tamako continues. "He told us that he was experiencing nightmares where he was fighting something, a strange being he claims that he once trusted." 

"Such as a friend?" Hunter challenges. 

"More like an older family member," Tamako answers. "We had him speak with Chet and Kouji about it. They said it may be connected to trauma from his 'previous life.'"

"Okay, cool," Hunter mutters as he lightly brushes away the droning details of the story. "So what does that have to do with him wanting to die?"

Tamako pauses, this time in front of Hunter. She stares at the floor of this ship with a solemn face. Whatever she is thinking about, it didn't make her comfortable, which is… odd for someone like Tamako, who is usually very open and relaxed about even the most sincere situations. Perhaps it is because she is speaking of someone else's life, a life that the owner may not wish for certain others to know about… But if it clears up suspicions of her friend being a traitor, it must be worth telling.

"There's a hypothesis, or rather, a theory," Tamako begins as she faces Hunter. "That in his previous life, Ricardio committed suicide."

"Who the hell came up with that?" Hunter growls. 

"Chet, of course," Tamako says. "With Kouji's observation of Ricardio's mental health, and the descriptions of the dreams from Ricardio himself, as well as his self-loathing, it seems to be the only way he could possibly be among us."

Hunter holds still, taking in a deep breath as he looks away from Tamako.

"So you do believe that this is the afterlife…" he mutters.

"I felt… a spirit, a presence, if you will," Tamako says slowly. "I get the feeling that I roamed in strange, abandoned and haunted areas as a child. They inspired me to imagine what could have once been there. I wrote stories about these places, letting my imagination run like a wild beast…"

Hunter looks back at Tamako, realizing her tone has changed from dark and dreadful to almost soft and sentimental. Her gaze has left him to stare at the calm sea behind their path. She shakes her head in disappointment.

"No no, this isn't about me," she sighs to herself. "Ricardio was kind and approachable, but he held a great hatred for himself. I've heard people say they've witnessed him being violent towards inanimate objects or even his own body whenever he experienced a pang of these feelings."

"So you're saying he committed suicide again...?" Hunter asks.

"No," Tamako says suddenly loud and clear. "Ricardio is still alive."

Just then, the doors to the sleeping quarters open, and Maya, Mel, Four and Nimble emerge, rushing up to where Tamako stands. Mel holds Nimble's hand, whispering something inaudible to him. Maya comes forth, standing formidably in front of her, a piercing gaze drilling at her seemingly impenetrable barrier of spirit.

"Tell us!" Maya shouts. "Tell us everything you know. What more are you hiding!?"

"You do realize that this is what Ricardio wanted me to hide, no?" Tamako says unfazed. "It's the only reason none of us have spoken of it before."

"The time to speak is now," Four calmly commands. "Tell us what you know about Ricardio Montague."

"I already was!" Tamako says in a cunning laugh. "Ricardio was out the night before the fire, working late as usual. He was talking to himself, angrily. I happened to be nearby with a fresh kill when I heard him. Perhaps I hid in some shrubs and eavesdropped on his following conversation with Kami. She asked him if he wanted to go for a walk, and then… they left…"

…

"That's all?" Mel growls irritably. "You didn't follow them?"

"No, I did not follow them," Tamako says. "I went straight home.

"She did," Nimble pipes up. "She talked to me when she came back."

"Do you think Ricardio killed Kami?" Four asks. "Or perhaps one of them started the fire?"

"I can't be sure about the latter," Tamako says. "All I know is that Kami stayed behind to look for Ricardio." 

"That's the reason she stayed behind?!" Hunter exclaims. "Why didn't you tell us???"

"I believe the more important question is why she wished to look for him in the first place," says Maya. 

"She wanted to remember him," Tamako says. "As for why I didn't tell you, she didn't want me to so that none of you who believed Ricardio was dead would try to stop her."

"Didn't you try to stop her though?" Mel questions.

"That was merely your misinterpretations," Tamako sighs impatiently. "Now then, enough wasting our time, I believe the most important details were Ricardio is still alive and Kami is looking for him, and we have been granted immortality."

"You lie, witch," Maya laughs. "We are all mortal beings."

"None of us have died," Tamako explains. "And if we did die, we came back to life."

"And what of the old man that Leona shot?" Four challenges.

'He was not one of us," Tamako says. "He was an outsider, one of the cultists. We are a chosen few, chosen by the gods."

"Chosen for what?" Hunter asks. 

"I cannot be sure," Tamako hums. "But… I believe that perhaps those cultists and their essence may have something to do with it…"

"Thank you, Miss Fujiwara," Four says.

"Oi, uhh…"

Everyone turns their attention to Victoria.

"I really hope what you said about immortality is true, Tamako," she says. "Cuz this looks… wicked."

Suddenly, everyone became aware of the growling thunder and the blackened clouds racing towards them as the nearing waves reach higher in the air.

"Dear God…" Hunter breathes.

"Get the others!" Maya orders. "Steer away!"

"I tried!" Victoria cries as their companions run to awaken everyone else. "It just… it seemed to follow us!"

"What?!" Maya gasps. "Surely, you cannot be serious…"

"I think the devil is working hard…" Victoria says. "But… I work harder."

With a crash, a wave rams into the front of the ship as the other crew members rush out onto the deck.

"WHAT THE FUCK?!" Kouji screams. 

"That's not normal! That's just not normal!" Kouji yells. 

"Keep the nose to the waves!" Victoria shouts. "Hang on!"

As the crew members all work together to pull the ropes and masts, Maya's eyes darted back and forth amongst them. Oliver, August and Nimble were nowhere to be seen, most likely still inside. To Maya, it seems ideal, hiding inside while the storm rages and tosses them up and down the gradually growing waves. The ship crawls over an enormous wave as the crew members either clutch to a railing, a post, or simply run back inside. As the ship dips down over the raging sea, a giant splash of cold, salter water washes over the deck, soaking the few who haven't retreated indoors. Maya shivers as a chilling wind attacks her, slipping through her clothes and brushing against her exposed skin. She turns her head to look behind them, only to find that they are completely surrounded by the storm. How? How could it have consumed them so quickly? Mere moments ago, the waters were calm...

"Maya," Victoria whimpers "I… I don't think we're gonna make it through this…"

"Why?" Maya asks.

As she speaks, a choir of screams emerges from the hissing storm, and the thumping of fleeing footsteps is drowned by a roaring thunder. Maya's eyes follow a darkening shadow to an ungodly horror, her heart sinking to what feels like the deepest sands of the ocean as a towering wall of the sea looms over them. It is... unheard of. It is unnatural. It is ungodly. The sight sends Maya's mind elsewhere, her body suddenly so mortal. She can't move anymore. Whatever soul is in her is paralyzed by the winds of the waves flying higher and higher into the sky until the ship is simply entering the ocean itself. She feels a strange warmth within her stirring, staring directly at the wave, like she's about to pounce into it and fly. The water tilts forward, like a giant falling to its death, and slowly, cold, trembling hand grabs ahold of Maya's, and as the water draws closer to them…

"I'm sorry, Millie."

\-----

It is dark, yet it is warm. It hurts, yet it is soothed. The oddest of all, perhaps, is that it is dry. 

Maya opens her eyes, greeted by the view of a small bedroom. The walls are wooden and linked together displaying pieces of decorative pine stems hanging from them. Slowly, she sits up to find herself in a cozy little bed constructed of wood, wool and feathers. The mattress and pillows are soft and smooth, and the blankets are heavy and comforting with their warmth. Directly ahead of her in the room is a door, which is closed.  
The more welcoming the scene is, however, the more confusing it is.

"Where the hell am I…?" Maya mutters to herself.

Maya cautiously slides out of the bed, only to realize that she was wearing a long, mauve sleeping gown. It dangles just above her feet, just enough for her to step without tripping. Surely, this must be a dream. She does indeed remember the ship and the storm. What happened? Is this Heaven or Hell? There's no way they could all have survived that…

Returning her attention to the present, Maya proceeds towards the door and presses her ear against it. Faintly, she can hear the sound of singing birds and rustling leaves, even some unfamiliar voices. She touches the handle of the door, slowly beginning to open it to see what lies on the other side. The door creaks loudly even with the slightest motion, much to her concern. 

As she expected, Maya is inside a small cabin. There's not much to note, a small fireplace, some fur rugs, a couple of rocking chairs… it was all so eerie yet so inviting at the same time. Maya proceeds with caution, closing the door behind her as quietly as she can. She peers around the corners, looking for anyone hiding. Deciding that she has no reason to stay, she begins to head for the exit.

A beam of light shines in Maya's eyes as she opens the door to reveal a humble little settlement amid a forest. From where she stands, she can see a small beach towards her left, and to her right, a tiny village of cottages all bustling with life. She recognizes no one, except...

"Maya!"

Suddenly, Maya is greeted by the all too familiar embrace of Marie, who hugs her tightly.

"Ah! Marie!" Maya exclaims in surprise. "Are you okay? What happened???"

"I'm fine! I'm fine!" Marie laughs as she lets Maya go. "I was so worried about you… do you feel any different?"

"Different?" Maya repeats. "I uhh… I dunno, I guess? Really, all I remember was a big ol' wave about to squish us."

Marie nods confidently and lets out a sigh of relief. 

"So you do feel different," she hums.

"What do you mean by that?" Maya asks. "Has something happened to everyone else?"

Marie's smile disappears, quickly replaced by a soft yet worried frown.

"Things sure have happened," she says. "All so much in so little time…"

"Where is everyone?" Maya asks. "Where are we?"

Marie doesn't speak as she blankly stares at the ground for a brief moment, deeply thinking.

"Well, there's a chief here," Marie says. "She told me everything about this place. You might wanna come with me."

Without any hesitation, Marie offers her hand for Maya to take, looking at her with sympathetic eyes. Maya blinks, glancing down at Marie's hand and back up at her face, wondering why she seems so uneasy. Then again, she too is uneasy. It looks like they are in this together, a mutual emotion. Gingerly, Maya holds Marie's hand, and the two of them begin their walk through the town. 

As the two women travel through the small crowds, they receive several smiles from strangers, some looking slightly sympathetic. Although Maya can't tell for sure, she assumed that Marie must have a certain expression on her face that warns people to stay away, whatever that may be. It is odd how co-operative and understanding these people seem to be as they all made way for her.

"Where are we going?" Maya asks.

"Right here," says Marie. "This is Chief's house. She should be able to answer everything."

Marie leads Maya up to a house a tad bit larger than the rest. It is triangular in shape, with the sides of the roof dipping down to the ground. There is only one window in the attic area, not even one by the small beds of purple and white flowers on either side of the front of the house. It is hard to believe that this place is even capable of holding a fireplace, yet the smoking chimney on the left side proves so. Despite being bigger than its neighbors, it still seems so bland and modest, as if the leader of the village sees themselves as simply yet another regular resident, yet humbly accepts praise. Quietly, Marie knocks at the door, sparking the sound of stirred voices within, two of which were very familiar. The door creaks open, revealing…

"Maya?" Chet gasps. "You survived?!"

"Yeah, seems so," Maya chuckles uneasily. 

Chet squints at her suspiciously. Much to Maya's surprise and slight disappointment, he did not ecstatically greet her with a warm hug, much like Marie had. It is odd considering he didn't seem to think that Maya had survived the wreck. Still, it's clear to see that he is confused towards something about Maya. 

"Don't worry," Marie says. "I thought the same thing."

"I see," Chet hums. "Please, come in."

Chet opens the door wider for Maya and Marie, allowing them inside. As she enters, a scent of pine, lilac and tame, burning wood embraces them. Chet then closes the door behind them, taking in a deep breath and sighing. The interior of the house is cozy and snug, with a slender staircase squeezed between the right wall and a tiny living room where a couch is built up against a half-circle wall. To their left is a crackling fireplace, producing a soft glow of dancing flames to light up the room. In front of the rounded couch is a tiny circular table with an old oil lamp hanging above it from the ceiling, and sitting at that table is someone that Maya still can't say she knows very well, but still somehow trusts.

"Hey, Dorothy," Maya says with a hint of optimism, hoping to get a positive reaction from Four.

"Hello, Maya," Four responds with a sad smile. "It's good to see you're alright."

"Thanks," says Maya. "Can you uhh… fill me in on what happened?"

"Of course," Four sighs. "Take a seat."

Maya proceeds to settle down across from Four, followed by Marie. Chet says nothing, tending to the fire solemnly. Everyone inside this house seems so troubled, completely contradicting the vibrations of the people outside. 

"I need to ask you something," Four begins. "Why were you acting so differently after what happened with Kami?"

"What do you mean?" Maya asks.

"You were talking strangely," Marie says. "You suddenly had this… very formal language, the way you talked. You were like a completely different person."

"Really? I don't remember much," says Maya. "But I remember the storm."

Chet mutters something inaudible. Whatever he said, it sounded… depressed.

"We honestly thought you died," Four says. "I'm surprised that you came back and still have your memories, unlike Kami."

"... Did you see her?" Maya asks.

"No, Kami is still back at the island, I think," Marie sighs. "I kinda miss her…"

"No, not her," Maya says. "I mean the goddess."

"The wolf you claimed to see?" Four recalls. "No, we did not. We just found you on the beach of this place."

"So we washed up on a beach, in this new place…" Maya hums thoughtfully.

"I find it strange how we all ended up here," Marie comments. "Or at least, most of us..."

A deafening silence consumes the room, the tension of remembering death sending chills down their spines.

"Who didn't make it…?" Maya asks in nearly a whisper.

"Well, not many," Four begins to explain. "We were not able to locate Hunter and Mel, so most of us have assumed that they have either ended up elsewhere or drowned. We really can't be sure."

"Oh…"

Yet another silence. The news starts to settle in. Weren't Hunter and Mel standing next to Maya mere moments ago? No, that must have been hours ago, but still… it feels like it's only been a few minutes, yet the world runs along, not waiting for anyone to catch up. Time stops for nobody. Maya supposes, well, then she may as well try to keep up. 

"I didn't see anybody I recognized outside," Maya carries on. "Where is everybody?"

"That's the next important part," Marie says. "Chief showed us all something… interesting. You should stand up."

Four and Marie start to get up from their seats, soon followed by Maya once she realizes what is happening. She backs away from them as they both pick up the table and move it aside, revealing a wooden trapdoor in the floor. 

"Did Chief just invite you down there the moment she saw you?" Maya asks.

"Sort of," Marie admits. "I'll show you."

Four lifts open the door, revealing a ladder down to pitch blackness. Cautiously, Marie gets down on her hands and knees and begins to climb down.

"It's okay," Four says sincerely.

"I trust you guys, don't worry," says Maya. "It's just… a lot to take in."

"I know," Four sighs. "I wish you good luck."

"Thank you," Maya says with a grateful smile.

Maya cannot tell if Four reacted, as she has already begun descending the ladder. It does not go too far down, but the moment she has reached the bottom to the dirt floor, Four closes the trapdoor, sealing them in darkness. Maya can hear the soft clunking of the table being replaced as a flicker of a tiny flame sparks to life. She looks up to see Marie carrying a candle in her hand.

"So this is probably creeping you out…" Marie chuckles uneasily. "Er… come with me."

Marie turns to the darkness, the little light guiding their way as Maya follows her. The smell of dusty dirty and the cracking, faded wooden pillars holding up the ceiling leaves her feeling rather uncomfortable yet so curious as to what could possibly happen next. It isn't long before they reach a wooden door… an old, rotten, scary looking door. Dread radiates from it, as if a mouldy corpse could be hidden on the other side, just waiting to reach out and touch her…

"Are you okay?" Marie softly asks. "You look pale…"

"Hm?" Maya squeaks as she blinks herself awake, realizing that Marie is looking at her. "Oh, I'm fine, I'm just tired and slightly worried."

"It'll all be okay," Marie says with a reassuring smile. "Listen, this… this is gonna be important."

Marie turns her attention back to the door, reaching out and opening it. The old door groans loudly, revealing a rather strange, rather beautiful sight…

"Whoa…"

Before them is a medium sized room covered wall to wall in shelves of vibrant colors stored in tiny glass bottles, all with different labels on them. They all had the faintest glow to them, as if welcoming her. Feeling the gentle touch of Marie's encouraging hand pushing against her back, Maya steps forward inside, and the colors glow brighter to light up the room. She barely notices the sound of the door being closed behind them, completely awestruck by the beauty of the scene.

"Everyone here is given a choice," Marie begins. "They can choose to live their life as a normal human being that will one day die, hopefully of natural causes, or, they can choose to live forever as another living thing, only to pass when their body is damaged. Time has no effect on them."

"Wait, is this-?"

"Yes, this is the essence the cultists have been using."

Maya turns to look at Marie, who possesses a melancholy expression. She almost longingly stares at the swirling potions with wonder.

"Chief is elsewhere right now," Marie says. "So… she let me watch over you while you make your own choice."

It takes Maya a moment to process everything… Is this… Is this a village of cultists? No… this can't be… they allow you to make a choice, they don't force it upon you. To live your life as what you want to be, you are given that choice…

"So… how many of us chose to be something else?" Maya asks hesitantly.

"Technically, seven," Marie answers as she paces around the room. "Caesar is already a lynx, and Ash decided to follow him as one as well. They promised to visit sometimes."

Maya can understand this. To follow someone you love...

"Oliver was actually infected to become a weeping willow, and… August became one as well, so if you see the two intertwined willows by the pond, that's them."

… yet she somehow struggles to understand this. Trees… do they know that they are together…?

"Victoria… She became a sea creature of her own creation to combat the storms and try to get home. She called it an 'ambitious combination of several animals.' I'm afraid we won't be seeing her again, unless she receives the best possible outcomes of her adventures."

She never really did give up, did she?

"Tamako became a wolf. She was looking for something, most likely the goddess you were talking about-"

"Wait," Maya interrupts. "Victoria and Tamako were the only two other people with me when I saw the goddess…"

"Does that mean anything?" Marie asks. 

"Not necessarily," Maya sighs. "I just… noticed that I'm the only one who saw her."

"Funny how you can tell they're a girl," Marie giggles lightheartedly. "Hmm… the only other one I can think of is Nimble. Something in the wreck must have triggered his essence… he hasn't been able to change back. Kokona and Leona watch over him now."

…

"So… what do you think? What do you choose?"

…

"Maya?"

"Ah, sorry," Maya coughs. "Listen… I really don't know. I mean… is it possible to change back to a human?"

"I'm afraid not," Marie says. "It's possible to become a creature at any time as long as you are alive, no matter how old. That's all we understand as of right now."

Maya looks back hesitantly at the walls of potions around her, their hypnotic, delicious colors swirling back and forth, as if they're calling out to her… yet...

"Then that settles it," Maya says. "I'm staying human."

"Really?" Marie gasps. "I honestly thought you'd wanna be like… a bird or something…"

"I'm just fine as I am," Maya says as she turns to face her. "Besides, I have you."

Marie blushes lightly and lets out a little giggle, and Maya can't help but smile. It seems to be a magical moment, despite everything…

"Say, I have one last question," Maya begins. "Does this place, this village or this land, have a name by any chance?"

"Oh! Umm, yes! It does," Marie says. "It was named after how the trees look in autumn, as it is the most fruitful time of the year for us."

"That's a nice way to look at it," Maya comments."

"Indeed," Marie says.

"Welcome to Cider Leaf Island."


	28. The End and A New Beginning

Hello,

You made it to the end of this story. I'm honestly amazed, yet also somewhat ashamed. You see, this is the largest work I've ever written, and yet I somehow managed to do it in only eight months. I have original projects that I've been working on for years that are very far from completion, and here is my largest, most admired piece, standing here not fulfilling its original purpose. Yes, that part of the plan failed completely. I suppose you can imagine why I'm very disappointed in myself for doing this.

Despite the troubles, I am also somewhat proud and borderline astounded by what this project has done. I'm very surprised that it is being read outside of the circle of people I made this for, the most interesting being a group of Danganronpa fans in Korea. It made me realize that even from failure can come hope.

While reading this, you may be disappointed in something. You may have noticed that the story has left behind many, MANY unanswered questions. Don't worry, I am well aware of this. In fact, I believe I can say that it is intentional. The biggest reason why I did this was because I honestly couldn't see the questions being answered in the story with a way that wasn't rushed. There is still a lot in this universe that needs to be unpacked, and I can't see Maya and her friends being the ones to uncover these secrets. No, this was not the original plan when I wrote this story.

The solution to this issue is easier said than done: I plan to write a completely original book to be a continuation of this universe's story. There will be original characters present instead of those by Nick Milkpunches. I will be incorporating his characters into the story in a particular way, but due to copyright (obviously) and some other excuses within the universe that I will not reveal yet, they won't appear to be the same, nor will they be known as who you know them now. It's a little difficult to explain without giving anything away.

Of course, this is the plan, but it is not set in stone. I may be forced to drop this in favor of other projects, or it may take years instead of a few months to complete. My life is catching up to me now that my work with moving assistance is over and my family and I have settled down for the time being, and soon I will be looking for a part-time job and going to university to study music. I hope that I will be able to answer your questions without chaos ensuing.

I would like to thank you all for your support, yes, the few of you that read this. Without you guys, I don't think I would have stretched the story out this far and found the motivation to make it what it is now. Hell, I received fan art for this. It's astounding.

Special thanks to the following people for their overwhelming support and for being wonderful people to introduce me to the Danganronpa community:

Uni  
Cuni  
Jaeby  
Music  
Tia  
Alpha  
Cyph  
Yoot  
Braven  
Tempest  
Goofball  
Maxis  
June  
Ale  
Sissy  
Cinnaboopa  
Nick Milkpunches

Thank you all very much. I'm looking forward to the future! 

This is the end of Cider Leaf Island. I hope you enjoyed it. Goodbye!

Techno Dragon


End file.
